Earth Observation Lab unlocks environment data

Creating a community to gather and share data is the aim of the new Earth Observation Laboratory.

University of Auckland environment lecturer Dr Thomas Dowling is co-lead of the new lab, supported by Ngā Ara Whetū, the University's Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Society, and the University of Auckland Space Institute.

Dowling had worked in the National Centre for Earth Observation in the United Kingdom, before moving to Aotearoa two years ago. “I noticed in New Zealand, there’s lots of great work going on in science, but people are not necessarily talking to each other or able to make best use of the data. That made me think ‘maybe we can do something about it’,” he says.

Data from environmental observations is a powerful tool that has often been locked behind technical and access barriers, says Dowling. The Earth Observation Laboratory Aotearoa wants to fling open the doors, so ordinary New Zealanders, iwi, business, researchers, and government can all gather and use environmental, engineering, commercial and agricultural data.

“We started this at the University of Auckland, but we want everybody throughout New Zealand to be involved. You don’t have to be an expert. Everything from the camera in your phone to a drone to a satellite can be used for making observations,” he says.

While the lab is modelled on the University of Cambridge Centre for Earth Observation, it’s developing a unique New Zealand flavour. “The lab’s website is a portal and a way of connecting the community and a resource repository," says Dowling. “We’re aiming to become a one-stop shop for anybody who wants to do science, government or business with earth observation data in Aotearoa.” 

The lab publishes helpful articles for everyone from beginners to experts, such as a new field guide released about using drones to monitor plastic pollution on beaches. Over time, the lab hopes to build up an open-source library and offer free code and resources. “We want to get knowledge out of the university and into society,” says Dr Dowling.