Pleiades HR, a tool for biodiversity conservation: Case of common hamster on the Alsace Plain

Within the context of insuring the long-term viability of the common hamster populations in France, DREAL Alsace (French Environment Ministry) placed an order with SERTIT for several mapping studies of the hamster´s environment in Alsace using satellite imagery to analyze and monitor the pressures exerted on the rodent. Landcover analysis with favorable habitat detection were successfully performed using SPOT5 imagery acquired at the end of hamster´s hibernation period, highlighting threats to the rodent in the area and the positive effects of the species conservation actions. Through the spatial analyses of these cartographic results, favorable crop density indicators were then derived providing an overview of biotope connectivity. DREAL´s interest in continuing with annual campaigns confirms the usefulness of Earth Observation data in biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, in recent work using existing sub-metric data, it has been shown that the new Pléiades HR sensor will improve results thematically and geometrically.