Survey Grade GPS and Total Stations secured for mapping Ancestral Domains

PAFID recently secured modern and state-of the art survey and mapping equipment to further augment and update its current mapping capability. With a grant from the MISEREOR, two sets of high-accuracy survey grade Global Positioning System receivers were purchased. Additionally, two Trimble total stations were also secured along with two sets of mapping grade Trimble Pathfinder Power and numerous units of data loggers.

This new set of equipments will enable PAFID to respond to the demands for its services from Indigenous Communities and at the same time address the legal and technical requirements that are now enforced in the process of securing Ancestral Domain Titles.

A week long instrumentation training was conducted at the PAFID office in Manila to provide the PAFID mapping division as well as PAFID-NGO/PO partners with the necessary orientation and information to operate the new mapping equipment. Certifications of proper calibration from the National Mapping and Resource Administration (NAMREA) were also secured for the new equipment to ensure the acceptance of survey results and its technical efficiency.

Participants in the training included representatives from the Mangyan Mission, Inc. NATRIPAL, and Antrowatch.