Planet Launches Project Centinela, Equipping the World’s Leading Biodiversity Scientists and Conservationists with the Latest Satellite-derived Tools and Insights
October 01 2024 - 9:02AM
Business Wire
Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL), a leading provider of daily Earth
data and insights, today launched Project Centinela, a new program
aiming to equip the world’s leading biodiversity scientists and
conservation advocates with an unprecedented array of
high-resolution, high-frequency satellite imagery, analytics, and
Planetary Variables. As part of Planet’s mission, over the next
three years the program will help support teams working at the
forefront of the biodiversity crisis to monitor and safeguard up to
50 of the world’s vulnerable biodiversity hotspots.
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These eight vulnerable, high-biodiversity
locations are the first sites for Project Centinela, implemented in
collaboration with local site teams. (Graphic: Business Wire)
Planet owns and operates the largest constellation of Earth
imaging satellites in history, capturing the Earth on a near-daily
cadence. This high-frequency satellite imagery enables communities
and researchers to see Earth’s changing surface, characterize
ecosystem health, and track the success of conservation and
restoration efforts over time. With access to Planet’s Planetary
Variables, such as Forest Carbon, Soil Moisture, and Land Surface
Temperature, Project Centinela participants will have a unique
suite of tools to derive quantifiable insights that advance
conservation of their target sites.
“Time is of the essence. Ecosystems around the world are in
peril, and we risk losing some of Earth’s most iconic species. We
now have the tools to tackle the biodiversity crisis at speed and
scale,” said Planet Chief Impact Officer Andrew Zolli. “Leveraging
daily satellite data and modern AI, we can monitor critical
hotspots and tackle threats before it’s too late. The biggest
challenges remain around access to this data, and Project Centinela
is leading the way in getting these game-changing tools into the
hands of scientists and stewards around the world.”
At its onset, Project Centinela has already engaged teams in
eight biodiversity-vulnerable locations across the globe including:
the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, Vale do Javari in Brazil, Rio
Matos Ramsar site in Bolivia, Virunga National Park in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eastern Chimpanzee Conservation
Areas in western Tanzania and Uganda, northern coastal Mozambique,
Terai Arc Landscape in Nepal, and Gunung Naning Protection Forest
in Borneo, Indonesia.
“In the hands of communities, decision makers, and researchers,
Planet's powerful imagery and tools help us see Earth's changing
surface, characterize ecosystem and biodiversity conditions, and
track the success of conservation and restoration efforts over
time,” said Amy Rosenthal, Planet's Senior Global Director for
Conservation Initiatives.
Institutions from these sites are already accessing these data
to better advance their work:
Microsoft AI For Good Research Lab
"Tracking and detecting deforestation is essential for
preserving our planet's biodiversity. We are proud to collaborate
with Planet Labs, which stands out for its unique ability to
provide daily, high-resolution satellite data that is critical to
this mission. Their unparalleled capabilities enable crucial
conservation efforts, and together we support the courageous staff
at Virunga National Park in their vital work." - Juan M. Lavista
Ferres, Corporate Vice President and Chief Data Scientist at
Microsoft and Director of the Microsoft AI For Good Lab.
Jane Goodall Institute
Planet’s Planetary Variables will provide new insights into
chimpanzee habitats and threats, a core area of focus at the Jane
Goodall Institute. “Through this partnership, JGI will support
implementation of the Uganda National Chimpanzee Conservation
Strategy and Tanzania Chimpanzee Conservation Action Plan. Forest
carbon, soil moisture, crop biomass and other products will help
enable our local communities and government partners to better
monitor and manage their land use plans and protected areas, from
village land and local authority forest reserves to National Parks,
supporting their livelihoods and contributing towards conservation
of the most vulnerable biodiversity hotspots.” - Dr. Lilian Pintea,
VP Conservation Science, Jane Goodall Institute.
“I am very proud of the JGI partnership with Planet because
supporting solution-oriented teams with powerful technology tools
is critical to addressing the existential threats to the health of
the planet that all life depends upon.” - Dr. Jane Goodall, founder
of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace.
WildMon
“WildMon equips front-line conservationists with a tech
ecosystem to measure the impact of their actions on biodiversity,
reducing the reliance on external experts. By leveraging Planetary
Variables—key environmental and climatic data crucial to
biodiversity health—we are excited to contribute to Project
Centinela. We will explore how Planet’s data can enhance
community-led decision making in Borneo, enabling Indigenous
Peoples (IPs) and Local Communities (LCs) to strengthen the
conservation work they are already leading.” - Chrissy Durkin,
President & Chief Development Officer, WildMon.
Osa Conservation
“As a ground-up NGO working in the tropics, it's challenging to
gather the type of actionable data, at both large geographical and
fine temporal scale, that we need to guide our conservation actions
and to monitor the impacts of our restoration efforts on the
landscape. This project will allow us to assess that impact and
guide our conservation plans into the future. And that is critical
for us and our local partners to showcase how ground-up efforts can
have major environmental impact and uplift, translating actions
into results for partners, donors, and maybe someday, investors." -
Dr. Andrew Whitworth, Executive Director, Osa Conservation.
As a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), Planet’s mission is to
accelerate humanity toward a more sustainable, secure, and
prosperous world, by illuminating environmental and social change.
Project Centinela advances Planet’s mission as part of its
contributions to support the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity
Framework.
If interested in applying or staying informed about Project
Centinela, please visit our program page.
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Planet Press Lauren Neville Cottrell comms@planet.com
Planet Investor Relations Cleo Palmer-Poroner ir@Planet.com
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