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Federal Grant Supports Aerial Mapping of Tribal Lands

After a $5 million grant from the Department of Commerce, the Yurok Tribe plans on getting a customized fixed-wing aircraft that will provide mapping and data collection for their lands to aid in habitat restoration.

GIS mapping
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(TNS) — After a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Yurok Tribe plans on getting a customized fixed-wing aircraft that will provide mapping and data collection for their lands to aid in habitat restoration, resource management and view the effects of climate change.

The aircraft, which has yet to be constructed, will contain high-resolution aerial imaging and Light Detection and Ranging, or LiDAR, capabilities, meaning that it can capture accurate, three-dimensional maps of the ground. The aircraft will be acquired by Condor Aviation, a partnership between the Yurok Tribe's Fisheries Department and the Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation.

"More than anything, this is a game-changer for the environment in Northern California. In the last 150 years, extractive industries have severely degraded the landscapes that once sustained nearly 100 Yurok villages and an incredible diversity of fish, plant and animal species. Condor Aviation will significantly increase our capacity to heal our rivers, forests and prairies," Frankie Myers, the president of the Yurok Tribe Construction Corporation said in a release. "On behalf of the Yurok Tribe, I would like to sincerely thank the Economic Development Administration for investing in our community and the revitalization of our natural resources."

Condor Aviation will offer contract mapping services to a variety of partners, including those at the federal, state, and local level across the Klamath Basin and Northern California.

The Yurok Tribe's staff of roughly 80 biologists, technical experts, equipment operators and technicians plan on using the aerial images provided by the aircraft to help develop restoration projects for the Klamath and Sacramento river basins, which are the two largest watersheds in California. Government agencies, nonprofits and private businesses can contract with Condor Aviation's LiDAR and mapping program to receive data collection and analysis.

"This investment is good for the reservation, good for jobs, and good for California," North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman said in a release.

LiDAR systems use pulsed lasers to measure distances to the earth. The pulses reflect from everything on the Earth's surface, such as trees and structures, creating three-dimensional reproductions of what they reflect off of. For example, LiDAR is capable of measuring forest canopy composition and height, classifying vegetation and identifying ladder fuels.

The company that will build the aircraft and the timeline for the tribe to receive it is not yet decided.

" Condor Aviation will offer highest-quality LiDAR and mapping services to organizations throughout Northern California. It will also create new economic development and employment opportunities for Yurok citizens interested in pursuing technology-based and/or aviation-related career paths," Myers said in a release.

© 2022 Times-Standard, Eureka, Calif. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.