Author: Rose Njambi

Rose Njambi is fascinated by all things geospatial. In addition to being a geospatial engineer, she is an aspiring writer and the founder of this blog. Her mission is to inspire you to embrace geospatial technologies. She also shares her experiences so you can learn from her mistakes. Rose lives in Kenya. She divides her time between her hometown, Nakuru, and the capital, Nairobi.
Prosopis leaves
News, Policy

Future Directions in the Application of Remote Sensing to Prosopis Studies [Part 5]

Around 40 years ago—in the 1970s and 1980s—Prosopis was introduced in Kenya. Thought to be beneficial, its adverse effects were unprecedented. Over the years, it has replaced grasslands, obstructed waterways and pathways, and harmed livestock. Overall, Prosopis invasions have led to social-economic harm1.   Meanwhile, over the last 40 years, remote sensing technologies have continued to evolve. The spatial, spectral and temporal resolution of satellite data … Continue reading Future Directions in the Application of Remote Sensing to Prosopis Studies [Part 5]

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prosopis-juliflora-plant-invasive
News, Policy

The Status of National Strategies to Manage Prosopis on the African Continent [Part 4]

We started this series by introducing Prosopis, how it simultaneously provides benefits and causes negative impacts, and the need for control. We then turned our attention to the application of remote sensing in detecting Prosopis. And we followed that up with thirteen (13) maps that show the distribution of Prosopis in Kenya.  So far in this series: In this article, we highlight countries with a … Continue reading The Status of National Strategies to Manage Prosopis on the African Continent [Part 4]

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GIS/ CAD/ Mapping/ Spatial IT

13 Maps That Show the Distribution of Prosopis in Kenya [Part 3]

“We need maps. We have always needed maps. We always will.” (Smart, 2005) Prosopis occurs in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Their spread causes environmental, economic, and social costs and benefits. Knowledge of Prosopis distribution and potential expansion areas is important to guide their control and management. And there’s no better way to depict these invasions and the resulting impacts than with … Continue reading 13 Maps That Show the Distribution of Prosopis in Kenya [Part 3]

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Aerial/ Drones (UAS)/ Remote Sensing

Sensing Invasive Species Prosopis From Space [Part 2]

In Part 1, I introduced the invasive species Prosopis: what it is, the impacts and the need for control and management. What I overlooked and therefore failed to mention is that different genera of Prosopis (i.e., Prosopis chilensis, Prosopis juliflora and Prosopis pallida) were introduced in Kenya’s drylands1,2. Hence, it is plausible that what we refer to as Prosopis juliflora may be Prosopis hybrids. Therefore, … Continue reading Sensing Invasive Species Prosopis From Space [Part 2]

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Did You Know?

Invasive Species Prosopis juliflora: A Brief Explainer [Part 1]

This is an article about a shrub—sometimes a tree. A shrub that is quietly colonizing the arid and semi-arid lands of Eastern Africa.  How did I learn of this shrub—sometimes a tree? It started with an email. No, actually, the email came later. It starts with me, in the field, surveying a road. A road with thorny shrubs on the roadside. Shrubs that threaten to … Continue reading Invasive Species Prosopis juliflora: A Brief Explainer [Part 1]

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GPS/ GNSS/ Positioning, Location Tech

How Indoor Navigation and Positioning Systems Work

Generally, using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to detect and track your location is great… until you get to the front door… then you’re lost.  While GNSS is great for outdoor navigation, they’re limited in indoor environments. Why?  Because obstacles such as walls and roofs block the line of sight with orbiting satellites, degrading satellite signals and decreasing location accuracy. Further, the accuracy requirements … Continue reading How Indoor Navigation and Positioning Systems Work

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Aerial/ Drones (UAS)/ Remote Sensing, GIS/ CAD/ Mapping/ Spatial IT

Burnt Area Detection in Mount Kenya Using Landsat 8 Imagery

In just two weeks, the once lush moorland on Mount Kenya forest is reduced to charred, bare ground. It is February 2019, and a forest fire has left approximately 80,000 acres of Mount Kenya forest burnt. It will be decades before indigenous plants grow back. The fire is reported to have broken out on 23 February 2019 and continued to burn till early March, extinguished … Continue reading Burnt Area Detection in Mount Kenya Using Landsat 8 Imagery

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GIS/ CAD/ Mapping/ Spatial IT

The Socio-Economic Impact of GIS on Society

You may not know what a GIS does. You may not even know what it stands for. But every day, without realizing it, you probably use GIS. Deciding which route to take to work, identifying which hospitals are nearby, and sharing your current location are all thanks to underlying GIS technologies. Everyone has their definition of a Geographic Information System (GIS) (Longley et al., 2005, … Continue reading The Socio-Economic Impact of GIS on Society

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Did You Know?, Surveying

How to Read Contour Lines on a Topographic Map 

Regardless of your profession, vocation, job,… knowing how to interpret contour lines is a skill you should have.  Here’s why. By studying contour lines, you can learn a lot about the surrounding terrain: height of hills, depth of valleys and steepness of climbs.  Knowing how to read contour lines comes in handy when choosing hiking, or backpacking routes, managing hazards such as flooding, selecting where … Continue reading How to Read Contour Lines on a Topographic Map 

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Aerial/ Drones (UAS)/ Remote Sensing

Supporting Disaster Response: A Look at the Space and Major Disasters International Charter

When disaster strikes, time is of utmost importance. Space technologies provide the data needed to respond quickly to disasters.  Satellites provide global coverage of the Earth’s surface in near-real-time. They’re important for monitoring our planet, assessing the impact of major disasters, and helping us to manage them.  For this reason, the collaboration between space agencies and space operators is vital to increase the response capacity … Continue reading Supporting Disaster Response: A Look at the Space and Major Disasters International Charter

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Construction/ Modelling/ BIM

Technologies Driving the Merging Of AEC & Geospatial Industries

I try not to read email messages first thing in the morning. This is because they easily distract me from the task at hand. But last week Thursday morning, I succumbed. I opened my inbox first thing in the morning. I don’t regret it. You see, everywhere I look, there are construction projects—roads, residential buildings, schools and churches. On top of this, I’ve worked in … Continue reading Technologies Driving the Merging Of AEC & Geospatial Industries

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