Kamal Ghorui
BENGALURU: Isro’s Space Applications Centre (SAC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) to combine satellite data with ecological field research.“The collaboration will focus on mapping India’s grasslands and other open natural ecosystems, which have often remained under-represented in policy and planning. It will also assess the impact of restoration efforts on degraded lands and develop improved methods to estimate both above- and below-ground carbon,” a statement issued Thursday, read.The partnership will bring together SAC’s capabilities in large-scale geospatial mapping with Atree’s interdisciplinary ecological research and on-ground experience. The aim is to generate reliable, policy-ready datasets that can support decision-making at both national and state levels.“The two institutions will also work on creating standardised and scalable approaches to identify and monitor ecosystems such as grasslands, savannas and deserts. These landscapes, though ecologically significant, have received limited attention compared to forests,” the statement read.The initiative is expected to feed into land use planning, climate action strategies, conservation efforts and rural livelihood programmes. By improving how ecosystems are mapped and assessed, the collaboration seeks to provide a clearer picture of changes on the ground.The partnership aligns with India’s commitment to achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030 and contributes to broader sustainable development goals.
