A Gaussian function was applied to vegetation index time series to extract candidate features, while a deep learning algorithm identified three major vegetation types (Spartina alterniflora, Phragmites australis, and Suaeda salsa). Field validation confirmed the model's accuracy, enabling precise vegetation classification from 1990 to 2022.
Using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, Landsat TM/OLI series remote sensing data from 1990 to 2022 were collected, covering TM5, ETM+7, OLI8, and OLI9. Key spectral bands (near-infrared, red, and green light) were fused to ensure high-quality data for subsequent analysis.
Consulting with the community and receiving feedback
Emmily Tunuka/African People & Wildlife
Men and women attend community meetings
Emmily Tunuka/African People & Wildlife
Discussing rangeland monitoring data with the community
Emmily Tunuka/African People & Wildlife
Based on results from monitoring data and facilitated feedback discussions with the village grazing committees, rangeland restoration activities are identified as appropriate. This often requires the existing village grazing plan to be adapted and evolve with the changing state of the rangelands. For example, in Ngoley village, data collected over two years indicated one particularly problematic species (Sphaeranthus - locally called “Masida”) that proliferated significantly during a prolonged dry season and limited the regrowth of palatable species after the rains. To prevent further proliferation, an uprooting plan was designed and implemented based on the best practices for removing this particular species. Immediately after the first round of uprooting, the data show a drop in the species frequency and subsequent months of monitoring provide further evidence to suggest that native, palatable grasses are recovering in the treated plots. These targeted interventions directly contribute to GBF Target 1 by integrating biodiversity considerations into local planning and land use, and Target 2 by restoring degraded ecosystems. Furthermore, by improving ecological function and resilience, these efforts enhance the rangeland’s capacity to withstand climate variability, supporting both biodiversity and the well-being of local communities.
A close working relationship with village grazing committees is critical to develop, refine, and implement rangeland management plans. Where village grazing committees do not already exist, following existing government and traditional village structures, APW helps facilitate their formation, building capacity to manage rangelands. While there is incentive to sustainably manage grasslands, the implementation of restoration activities can be arduous. APW provides financial incentives in the form of stipends that expedite interventions while providing an additional benefit to the community members who participate.
APW has learned the importance of working not just with village-level committees but also with larger ward-level governments. Many villages in northern Tanzania share rangeland or have adjacent pastures. Thus, it is necessary to work with neighboring villages to ensure continuity in management and connectivity of ecological benefits. Since adjacent villages may compete for high-quality rangeland, cooperative management of neighboring grazing areas is imperative. As villages are added to the program, gaps in ward-level management are filled by APW and other partners, moving one step closer to ensuring connectivity in a landscape shared by people, livestock, and wildlife.
In 2020, APW began conducting harmonization meetings that bring together different stakeholders from the village level, wards, divisions, districts, regions, different ministries, parastatal institutions, and NGOs among other stakeholders to discuss and streamline different agendas in regards to rangeland management in their different areas of work and also influence policy.
Rangeland team member demonstrates using the mobile data collection tool
Emmily Tunuka/African People & Wildlife
Rangeland monitors collect and input data in the field
Emmily Tunuka/African People & Wildlife
Example of a community rangeland monitoring dashboard
African People & Wildlife
Thevillage grazing committee and interested community members then come together at a Conservation Technology Center (CTC) for Rangeland Data Feedback Meetings facilitated jointly by an APW team member and the habitat monitors. While the dashboards are available on any mobile device, the CTCs allow for the community to convene for information sharing and participatory decision-making based on the data visually displayed on large screens. Oftentimes, the village grazing committee will review existing land use plans and verify their effectiveness with the data collected each month, adjusting pasture resource allocation accordingly. Finally, where the dashboards show rangeland degradation or proliferation of invasive species, the committee can use the data as justification to apply for financial support from APW for rangeland restoration interventions such as invasive species removal, reseeding, or soil erosion control projects. Through these data-informed, participatory mechanisms, community members play an active role in the stewardship and sustainable use of their natural resources. This model contributes to GBF Target 2 and 22 by empowering Indigenous Peoples and local communities to take leadership in habitat restoration, ensuring that their knowledge, rights, and participation are integral to conservation planning and implementation.
Trust and established relationships with the community are required for successful implementation. As with the previous steps, it is essential to work within existing cultural governance structures. While community members traditionally convene for collective decision-making, having a dedicated meeting space and equipment to analyze and visualize data enables evidence-based decision-making for natural resource management.
While the establishment of CTCs was a big step forward, there is a need for further capacity building within communities to ensure village grazing committee members accurately interpret the data and understand how it can be used to inform resource management interventions. To address this need, a trained community data liaison will be embedded at each CTC, serving as a vital bridge between technology and traditional governance. By providing this liaison with robust training in data analytics, interpretation, and the operation and maintenance of CTC technology. This investment in local capacity is key to sustainability—enabling communities to independently utilize data for adaptive resource management, even in the absence of APW staff.
Maasai pastoralists participate in a training on data collection
Emmily Tunuka/African People & Wildlife
GIS specialists helps map community monitoring plots
Emmily Tunuka/African People & Wildlife
Taking measurements for a rangeland assessment
Emmily Tunuka/African People & Wildlife
Community habitat monitors are selected by the village grazing committees to conduct monthly monitoring of the selected plots. Monitors receive training on the data collection protocols, best practices in using geospatial technology, and basic troubleshooting techniques for the mobile phones and applications used. Every month thereafter, the monitors visit each plot and complete a customized Survey123 form that includes questions about the entire pasture as well as quantitative metrics collected at 20 samples along a 100 meter transect within the pasture. The data are submitted to a cloud-based server hosted by Esri. Data collection focuses on understanding current grazing quality, existing resource availability, and frequency of invasive species to predict trends in bush encroachment and palatability.
The pasture quality data for each plot are analyzed in real time via ArcGIS Dashboards. For the more complex invasive species trends metrics, the APW MELA team runs an Arcade script to calculate change in various problematic plants’ frequency at a plot level. The Dashboard is customized to display this as a trend-over-time serial chart, with each monitored species visualized on one line graph.
Traditional practices are often more feasible, accepted, and relevant to community leadership than new approaches to rangeland management. The team spends significant time during the preparatory phases learning about Indigenous methods of pasture management and biophysical interventions. For instance, many pastoralist communities traditionally implement zoning practices through rotational grazing or livestock species control. Since these practices are already a way of life for the pastoralists in these communities, integrating them into project design and implementation creates initial buy-in and support for further interventions. This, coupled with strong training led by our Geospatial Data and Conservation Technology Officer, and targeting youth that have experience with technology, is key to survey deployment and data collection.
By strengthening traditional practices with modern, user-friendly technology, APW maintains support from village leadership while introducing innovative methods for data collection, analysis, and feedback. This builds ownership and trust in the communities, leading to long-term success. To ensure protocols are being followed, annual refresher trainings and a WhatsApp group have been implemented to keep monitors up to date and establish a support network.
Our team analyzed the data with the combined expertise of our partners and in collaboration with a local NGO dedicated to reforestation efforts. This NGO is using our scientific findings to guide practical restoration actions, including the selection of plant species that attract and support local wildlife. This partnership ensures that our research is directly applied to enhance reforestation efforts, promoting self-sustaining and resilient forest ecosystems
In terms of overall architectural appearance, the courtyard enclosed layout is retained, with a focus on creating courtyard space. The building color is mainly green and gray, inheriting traditional charm. At the same time, simplify the complex decoration of traditional architecture and use modern and simple lines. The main structure of the building continues the traditional wooden structure form and adopts mortise and tenon technology to ensure the integrity of the structure. Using rough stones and strip stones as the foundation, effective moisture-proof and anti-corrosion measures are achieved to ensure the durability and applicability of the building. In terms of materials, in addition to traditional wood and bricks, new materials such as metal and glass are also combined to enhance living comfort and quality. Color matching adds flexibility to traditional colors, creating a warm and fashionable atmosphere. The internal space layout is more in line with modern living needs, with open living rooms, dining rooms, etc., combining traditional artistic conception with modern functions.
Establishing Repair and Testing Facility for Long-Term Sustainability
To support the long-term sustainability of green energy solutions, a dedicated repair and testing facility was established to serve as a local resource for maintaining and enhancing green energy equipment. The repair and testing facility provide repair services, regular testing, and technical assessments for solar pumps, storage units, and other renewable systems, ensuring optimal functionality and durability. In addition, the center offers training programs for local technicians, creating a skilled workforce capable of supporting green energy equipment across rural areas. This initiative not only guarantees that farming businesses have reliable access to well-maintained energy systems but also promotes local job creation, fosters self-reliance, and strengthens the resilience of the agricultural sector’s green transition.
