Our Blue Targeting app is ready to use!
The app Blue Targeting is now available on Google Play. Zane Lībiete, who coordinated the work, tells you more about the app.
Who can find this app useful?
− Those who either own or manage riparian forests or give consultations on the topics of forest management. But the app can be used also for education and research purposes. People who do not own forest but are interested in natural resource management and questions of environmental protection may also find this app interesting.
What can you use the app for?
− The basic function of the app is the evaluation of the condition of the watercourse that is located in the forest. After the evaluation is finished, a set of general recommendations for riparian forest management is prepared, as well as specific suggestions for special actions that may be implemented to further increase the functionality of the riparian zone and to protect the watercourse.
What does the app contain?
− The first part of the app requires input of some basic information about the watercourse – name and width of the stream, bed substrate type, location of the stretch to be evaluated (recorded via GPS coordinates). After that follows an easy-to-apply evaluation checklist, set in a convenient interface. This checklist is filled-in while walking along the stream, by simply ticking the relevant boxes.
− The evaluation is structured into four blocks: conservation values (e.g., species and habitats), impact on the stream (related to human intervention, for example, pollution, streambed alterations), stream sensitivity (e.g., soils prone to erosion) and additional values (for example, historical sites, recreational values). After the checklist is filled, the programme calculates respective values in each block and offers general management recommendations, as well as advice on some specific actions that may be implemented to further improve the functionality of the buffer zone. It needs to be emphasized that it is the stream which is evaluated, but the recommendations pertain to management of the adjacent forest.
− The evaluation results are stored in the user’s smart device, and after evaluation it is possible to download a .csv file with evaluation data for further analysis, should one wish it.
What effect do you hope the app will give to the users?
− We hope that the app will help forest owners and managers to make better decisions concerning the management of riparian forests. We also hope that it will increase the general awareness of forest owners and managers of the questions related to the impact of forest management on water quality and forest-water interactions in general.
Download the app from Google Play
The app is available in seven languages – English, Swedish, Finnish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish and Russian. Search for Blue Targeting in Google Play to find it, or click the link.