Open-Source Toolbox

The WEED open-source toolkit will be integrated in an easy-to-use, end-to-end, cloud-based processing system, developed according to the FAIR principles and in compliance with interoperability standards. The toolbox will be able to deal with the variability of data sources, and differences in technical capacity of the users. It will be based on the earlier work conducted by the ESA PEOPLE-EA project, connecting the ARIES semantics platform with the OpenEO Earth observation platform, and expanded with the Laco-Wiki platform to validate ecosystem extent maps and their dynamics. 

The WEED toolkit will contain the following features:

Globally applicable: use the toolbox to produce your own standardised ecosystem maps for terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal ecosystems, including intertidal zones, and submit them to the Global Ecosystems Atlas.

Context-aware: integrate your own data - the toolbox will automatically optimise the results for your region of interest and relevant ecosystem types, through thematic expert models

Map ecosystems: at high spatial resolution (10-30m) according to the most important ecosystem typologies: European Nature Information System (EUNIS and EU extent typology), IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (GET), with the option for crosswalks with national or other typologies (e.g. Ramsar, EU Habitats Directive Annex I)

Monitor dynamics: provide consistent, high confidence records for trend analysis and reporting

Indicators: direct output to ease ingestion for reporting (e.g. GBF A.2 indicator, ecosystem extent accounting tables)

Wide applicability: for countries, businesses, investors and financial institutions, and scientists and research networks

Open: an open-source, flexible and innovative toolkit to map and monitor, leveraging advances in computing and Earth observations, following the FAIR principles, and built upon existing state-of-the-art and sustainable platforms; ARIESS (supported by UNSD), OpenEO(supported by ESA), Laco-Wiki (supported by IIASA).

Fully transparent: access to all data and intermediate layers, fully automated documentation