Ranchi: In a major step toward environmental monitoring, a tripartite MoU was signed on Tuesday between BIT Mesra, the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of ISRO, Hyderabad, and the Jharkhand Forest Department to launch a Phenocam-based Forest Phenology Monitoring Program.
The collaboration aims to track seasonal changes in forest ecosystems across Jharkhand by combining satellite remote sensing with ground-based Phenocam imagery—fixed cameras that record continuous changes in vegetation like leafing, flowering, and shedding.
The signing ceremony at BIT Mesra featured key addresses by environmental scientists and senior officials. Dr. Niraj Priyadarshi of NRSC Kolkata and Dr. Girish Pujar of ISRO Bengaluru explained how the integrated approach will allow for more accurate, real-time tracking of forest phenology—critical for assessing the impact of climate change on vegetation.
Prof. Indranil Manna, Vice Chancellor of BIT Mesra, called for deeper research-government linkages to address ecological challenges. NRSC Director Dr. Prakash Chauhan highlighted the role of phenological data in understanding climate-vegetation interaction, while Jharkhand’s PCCF (Wildlife) Shri Paritosh Upadhyay stressed the value of scientific tools in forest conservation.
The MoU was officially exchanged between DFO Hazaribagh Shri Suraj Singh, BIT Mesra Registrar Dr. Sudeep Das, and NRSC representatives. Senior forest officials, academics, and ISRO scientists also attended the event.
This initiative is expected to support climate studies, carbon monitoring, and biodiversity conservation—marking a significant use of space technology for sustainable forest management in Jharkhand.
