Customer Stories

TRANSFORMING THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS NORTH AMERICA Trimble Navigation Limited 10368 Westmoor Drive Wesminster CO 80021 USA EUROPE Trimble Germany GmbH Am Prime Parc 11 65479 Raunheim GERMANY +49-6142-2100-0 Phone +49-6142-2100-140 Fax ASIA-PACIFIC Trimble Navigation Singapore Pty Limited 80 Marine Parade Road #22-06, Parkway Parade Singapore 449269 Singapore +65-6348-2212 Phone +65-6348-2232 Fax Contact your local Trimble Authorized Distribution Partner for more information © 2016, Trimble Navigation Limited. All rights reserved. Trimble, the Globe & Triangle logo, and eCognition are trademarks of Trimble Navigation Limited, registered in the United States and in other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. PN 022516-217 (02/16) RESULTS With an accurate inventory and map of the Blackthorn's growth stages and extent, JMRC environmental and training planners can better create cost-effective and efficient removal and control strategies. Traditionally, the military has controlled the invasive Blackthorn species with a mix of training exercises to impede the bush's growth, spot burning, mowing and a herd of nearly 10,000 sheep, who feed on the early Blackthorn growth. That costs about $30,000 US per sq km. From there, the removal costs and management efforts can reach as high as $1 million US per sq km. Using the classification maps, the JMRC leadership have begun developing smart eradication plans. They have identified a number of target areas throughout the training area and determined the best cost-effective and efficient methods to either remove the Blackthorn or greatly reduce it. To date, approximately 200 hectares of Blackthorn have been treated. And because the classification datasets show them Blackthorn's extent and current heights, the military has the ability to accurately forecast the bush's growth pattern for the next five years and develop sufficient control measures to properly manage its spread. Using this high-tech strategy, USAREUR's JMRC may have found a way to manage Blackthorn, rather than Blackthorn managing them. "Now the military not only has a detailed comparison of Blackthorn between 2007 and 2012, they have a completely new, informative tool that can help them develop cost-effective Blackthorn reduction strategies." Dr. Albert Boehm, Directorate of Public Works, Environmental Branch of USAG Bavaria-Hohenfels. The HTA's hills, forest and rocky outcrops have served as fertile grounds for military exercises since 1938. Since 2010, more than 60,000 soldiers (US and allied) have deployed to HTA every year to train. Shrub Encroachment 2007-2012 Grassland and Open Mulched, Clearcut Shrub grown Shrub constant Forest Infrastrucure Change analysis map of HTA vegetation and infrastructure growth, 2007-2012. Red areas display Blackthorn's encroachment growth. eCognition shows Blackthorn is highly impacting one-third of the HTA's 160 km2 (61 mi2).

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