Tag: soil

Esri Ireland accelerates national soil survey across 23,000km2 for Aurum Exploration

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), today announces that its digital mapping system enabled Aurum Exploration Services to accelerate the survey of soil samples across almost 23,000km2 in Ireland.

The extensive survey was carried out as part of the Tellus Programme. Led by Geological Survey Ireland and funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Tellus Programme aims to improve the future management of the environment by building a deeper knowledge of Ireland’s soil, rocks, and water.

Esri’s ArcGIS technology streamlined workflows for Aurum Exploration, enabling it to deliver the ambitious project in just over one year. The technology replaced the traditional paper-based survey process with innovative digital data capture. The paper-based process was time-consuming with a complex data collection method, taking the Tellus Programme team nine years to reach the halfway milestone on the project.

Using the technology, Aurum Exploration’s sampling teams were able to collect, record, and share real-time data on soil samples – ranging from location to land usage and soil characteristics – wherever they were working in the field. Apps could be used even when offline, which was vital for those working in remote locations. Team leaders were able to speedily assign tasks, manage daily workloads, and monitor the project’s progress, while programme managers could oversee the data collection process and share project metrics.

Health and safety were boosted for employees as each team’s location was visible in near real-time. The platform also facilitated rigorous quality control checks, greatly enhancing the accuracy and integrity of soil sample data. Moreover, reports could be generated on-demand, saving time for teams internally.

In turn, these efficiencies contributed to an estimated saving of 120 days per year, and a reduction in overall operational costs of around €40,000 annually for the project.

Judith Mather, Project Manager, Tellus Programme, Aurum Exploration said: “Having a robust and efficient digital system greatly assisted us to cover more ground in a shorter time, and oversight of the national programme really improved. ArcGIS Dashboards gave our directors and client an accurate and visual real-time overview of what was going on, on a national scale, which is what they needed. In addition, the improvement in data quality was a real testament to the success of ArcGIS applications.”

Schalk van Lill, Customer Success Manager, Esri Ireland said: “Our ArcGIS platform has been transformative for the Tellus Programme, and we were delighted to work closely with Aurum Exploration as the team delivered on this vital nationwide project. Reliable data was captured electronically out in the field, reducing the risk of human error and other data collection inconsistencies, even while working remotely. This also boosted productivity, streamlined operations, and improved collaboration among teams for Aurum Exploration. This important project is benefitting our environment now and into the future.”

VistaMilk uses Satellites to Help Irish Dairy Farmers Manage the Land

Using measurements from space to help Irish farmers manage their farms may sound like science fiction but it’s actually science fact. Real-time information about soil moisture is an essential tool for farmers when planning and managing the efficient use of their land and a VistaMilk study is using satellites in earth’s orbit to collect that information.

The research project is utilising imagery from the Europe Space Agency’s Sentinel satellites to map soil moisture in Ireland, with the capability of focusing in on areas as small as 10 square metres. The data gathered could be used to help farmers make decisions about which fields to allow their livestock feed while maintaining optimal grazing and grass growth, which fields require drainage or even wetting, and potentially when to add or reduce use of fertilisers and slurry.

Rumia Basu, a VistaMilk PhD student from Teagasc, at the University of Galway, who is running the project said:

“The importance of understanding the soil moisture levels both historically and on a given day is an essential part of daily farming particularly as decisions made can impact not only production outputs but also the environment. The models we are developing that will provide real time information to assist farmers in their decision making is leading-edge and – due to Ireland’s climate – quite unique.

“Using high resolution satellite radar data which is available in all weather, day or night, combined with optical observation data allows us to provide daily information that one day we hope will be available on an app that farmers can use on what we know to be one of their most valuable pieces of equipment – their phones. As we are able to home in on an area as small as 10 metres square, we will be able to provide farmers with data on a field-by-field basis. “

According to VistaMilk, the satellite soil moisture data has the potential to become part of the farm management toolkit which will help Irish farmers manage their farms more efficiently and in an increasingly environmentally friendly way.

Pat Tuohy, Funded investigator, VistaMilk, said “As well as daily moisture reports we can also look back at historical data to identify areas of a farm that are adversely affected by prolonged periods of wet or dry weather. This will inform farmers where land management strategies may be required.

“Complemented by weather forecasting data the information could potentially influence decisions on where, when and how to apply fertilisers and slurry and what interventions may be required to prevent runoff from the land into watercourses.

“The satellite data could also influence other research projects.  For example, there is ongoing research  into carbon sequestration levels on Irish farms. The possibility of combining results from such projects – as well as others looking at grass growth, for example – could give us a picture of how best to manage soils to increase carbon absorption without affecting productivity.

“Four years on, since the VistaMilk Research Centre was created, it is encouraging to see that our research is making a real contribution to ensuring a sustainable future for dairy farming in Ireland, preserving a traditional way of life, providing significant employment, and making a considerable contribution to the Irish economy. “

A podcast about Rumia Basu’s ongoing research can be found at  https://www.vistamilk.ie/podcasts/