Our EAGLEs Sebastian Rothaug and Clemens Schömig just finished their 2+ months for the internship/InnoLab in Kruger National Park. The work was done with SANparks, Dr. Coetsee and Dr. Wigley within a year-long collaboration of EORC researcher Dr. Bevanda.

The field campaign included UAS-based multispectral, thermal, and LiDAR measurements, along with the collection of in-situ data for ground truthing and the setup of an extensive tree inventory. The work mainly contributed to an ongoing project in collaboration with the University of Würzburg (Ullmann, Bevanda, Pflumm) and SANParks, focusing on fire and drought research in the savanna ecosystem and also included the PhD researcher Luisa Pflumm.

After completing the fieldwork, the data was cleaned and processed. The results of the campaign were then presented to their local supervisors at SANParks, together with first generated products such as a LiDAR-based vegetation structure and height classification. This interdisciplinary research environment helped link remote sensing based geospatial analysis with ecological processes and improved the interpretation of results within a conservation-focused research setting.

Living in Kruger National Park provided Sebastian and Clemens with a unique field environment, including daily exposure to wildlife and the surrounding savanna ecosystem. At the same time, regular exchange with international researchers from ecology, conservation, and related disciplines created a collaborative and interdisciplinary atmosphere. This interaction contributed additional value beyond the technical work and supported a broader understanding of ongoing research in the park.