Brazilian Permanent Preservation Areas

Brazil has some of the most unique and important ecosystems in the world. I have worked with Dr. Carlos Ribeiro from the Federal University of Viçosa, to develop computer methods that can automate the delineation of protection zones called Permanent Preservation Areas. These areas provide protection for biological diversity by prohibiting all economic uses of resources within their limits. However, finding these places is no trivial matter because there are a number of complex spatial parameters that need to be calculated over a vast land-base. We have developed a methodology that provides a foundation for conducting automated delineation of these boundaries by incorporating a variety of GIS tools and remote sensing data. We are currently in the process of submitting manuscripts for publication. I will update this page when/if the work becomes published.