A terrible storm damages the Gold Coast, putting vegetation management in the spotlight.

Gold Coast and Tamborine Mountain in Queensland recently experienced severe disruptions due to a Christmas Day storm in 2023. Power outages have plunged homes, offices, and factories into darkness, throwing critical infrastructure like traffic lights into disarray. Roads are blocked by landslides and fallen trees, making 20-minute trips into three-hour trips. The storm's wrath has even halted rail services, severing vital interstate transport arteries and jeopardizing the flow of fuel, food, and essential goods. Understanding the consequences requires perspectives from both the affected individuals and government officials responsible for rescue, disaster recovery, and restoration efforts.

• The effects have been catastrophic for those directly affected, leading to:
• Power outages affected many homes, businesses, and factories.
• Traffic lights that won't work because the power went out.
• Problems with access caused by roads that are closed.
• A lot of traffic because roads and highways were still closed, making short trips into long drives that lasted hours.
• Rail services being interrupted, which stops interstate travel and logistics and affects the supply line for goods, food, and fuel.

In addition to that, numerous national and state-level disasters occurred due to storm-induced incidents such as fallen trees on roads, railways, power lines, and houses.

The challenge for authorities like councils, transport departments, and utility providers is huge. Managing vegetation across vast distances, with diverse landscapes and weather patterns like those found in Australia, is a massive challenge. Melbourne to Sydney shows a different vegetation profile than Sydney to Brisbane, demanding localised solutions for each stretch of roads and rails. Manually mapping and monitoring such extensive networks simply isn't practical.

Despite these challenges, there are consistent methods for monitoring and gaining insights into the vegetation around power lines, roads, railroads, and critical infrastructure.

Earth observation satellites offer a powerful tool for vegetation monitoring. Their eagle-eyed view can scan vast areas, pinpointing potential risk zones with exceptional accuracy. Authorities can receive warnings about high-risk areas, allowing them to focus on priority areas and manage vegetation effectively. This might involve tree trimming or replanting with less-risky tree types. For instance, a 100km road may have identified high-risk areas, such as a specific 500m stretch only, enabling targeted interventions. This data-driven approach can save precious time and resources, minimizing disruption and safeguarding critical infrastructure.

Eg 01. Monitoring overhead power line vegetation:

Continuous monitoring: SAR data enables near-real-time monitoring of vegetation growth, allowing for proactive maintenance and prevention of power outages.

Improved safety: Early detection of vegetation overgrowth near power lines helps address potential safety hazards before they occur.

Cost-efficiency: Satellite monitoring can be more efficient than traditional in-person inspections, especially for extensive power line networks.

How to do that?

• Satellite images are acquired regularly using SAR technology.
• Advanced algorithms analyze the images to identify and measure vegetation growth near power lines.
• A clearance limit is predefined based on safety regulations.
• Areas exceeding the clearance limit are automatically flagged for maintenance or vegetation removal.
• Reports are generated and sent to the relevant authorities in specific regions.

Eg. 02: Disaster monitoring with SAR satellites:

All-weather capabilities: SAR data can penetrate clouds and weather conditions, enabling disaster assessment even in remote areas and adverse weather.

Rapid damage assessment: Satellite data allows for quick identification of affected areas and the extent of damage, facilitating timely response and resource allocation.

Improved preparedness: Monitoring changes in land cover and infrastructure over time can help predict and prepare for potential disasters.

How to do that?

• Pre-disaster baseline data is collected using SAR satellites.
• Post-disaster images are acquired and compared with the baseline to identify changes.
• The extent of damage to infrastructure, buildings, and vegetation is mapped and analyzed.
• Reports are generated with detailed information about the affected areas, which are then shared with emergency responders and disaster relief organisations.

These are just two examples of the many ways SAR satellite data can be used for various applications. Its unique capabilities make it a valuable tool for governments, businesses, and organisations working in diverse fields like environmental monitoring, resource management, and infrastructure maintenance.