Galago Presents Breakthrough Biodiversity Tech at COP15

Harnessing the power of AI and machine learning, Galago measures, tracks and manages site biodiversity with unmatched precision and efficiency.

COP15 is an exciting opportunity for Galago scientists to showcase breakthrough technology that is used to measure and manage biodiversity. Measuring biodiversity in large development projects has historically been a challenging job. Galago is introducing an industry first in biodiversity management for land development projects by bringing together the use of drone, satellite technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning with decades of domain expertise. This innovative approach will revolutionize the way land development projects are managed.

COP 15 - Biodiversity goals abound

The CBD COP15 conference is expected to address a range of important topics related to biodiversity. These include the conservation and sustainable use of land, the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, and the combatting of illegal trade in wildlife. The conference is also expected to focus on integrating biodiversity considerations into other sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, and tourism. Additionally, the conference will likely address the need for financial support for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, as well as the role of science and technology in achieving these goals. Overall, the COP15 conference presents a unique opportunity to address the many challenges facing biodiversity and to take meaningful action to protect and preserve this essential aspect of our planet.

Now more than ever, businesses integrate biodiversity into their sustainability strategy. Land development is an area that has one of the greatest opportunities to do so. When companies develop land, they typically require permits ensuring that there are no endangered species that were developed. Failure to detect in the pre-development phase results in delays and expensive re-planning that can affect project delivery.?Therefore, it is essential that companies identify rare species with a high degree of certainty.?

Galago uses Advanced Earth Observation to Address Biodiversity

In the past, ecologists spent hours in the field, manually surveying an area to identify the species and classify its ecology. But now, with the use of satellite imagery, Galago can significantly reduce the time needed for this work by at least 50%, while also reducing costs and providing additional spatial information. This allows ecologists to concentrate their efforts on more detailed analysis instead of spending so much time on field surveys.

“Our biodiversity management tools are increasingly getting attention from a wide range of businesses” says Mike Rawitch, Galago Team lead. “Growing regulation, and integration of biodiversity into corporate sustainability largely fuels that interest. We offer the ability to quantify biodiversity, in a way that is scientifically sound but also efficient and cost effective”.?

How Our Tools are Used to Manage Biodiversity

Utilizing drone and satellite, the Galago team can collect high resolution imagery. After this Galago uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to train a model that can recognize and classify plant species in collected imagery. With input from ecology experts and custom training datasets, the model achieves upwards of 90% accuracy in classification, according to Emilia Stepinski, Galago Managing Consultant.

Data is then captured in a highly useable format and then integrated into a visually interactive and easily navigable web application. This allows end users to easily interpret the data, enabling effective and timely management decision making. This is a top priority in any site development when it comes to permitting, cost scoping, and spatial planning.

Meeting the need

Galago's team, aided by advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, has created a solution that improves the delivery of land development projects while safeguarding vulnerable ecology. As regulators and sector stakeholders meet in Montreal for COP15, the emphasis should be on actionable biodiversity management solutions.