Prevail Partners’ Use of Geospatial Intelligence to Support Organisations in the Environmental Sector

 

Case Study Overview

This case study highlights Prevail Partners’ expertise in utilising geospatial intelligence to support organisations in the environmental sector. Through their advanced information collection methods, Prevail Partners was able to provide comprehensive insight into conservation areas in Western Africa.  

The client expressed specific interest in gaining insight into the current situation of these conservation areas and identifying any potential risks or issues that could impact their visit and future strategy.

This information would help the client make informed decisions about potential projects and understand any risks or opportunities involved with taking action in these areas. 

Overall this project was a perfect illustration of how a multi-disciplinary approach to a complex problem set, can deliver outputs with true altruistic value.

 

Background into Wildlife Crisis

The illegal killing and trafficking of wildlife, along with deforestation and other forms of environmental degradation, has become a major concern in recent years.

This is particularly true for Western Africa due to its large land area, complex socio-political landscape, and limited resources for conservation efforts.

Threat of Poaching on Local Biodiversity

Poaching is one of the main threats to local biodiversity, with endangered species such as apes being particularly targeted for meat consumption and pet trade, which has led to declining populations of these species, with gorillas becoming very rare in certain areas.

Deforestation Threat

Another major threat to the area is deforestation, caused by both industrial logging concessions within the park and illegal logging from neighbouring countries, with human encroachment and unsustainable agricultural practices also contributing to forest erosion.

Illegal mining activities taking place in the park also raises concerns about potential future impacts.

Urgent action is needed to address these threats and protect the biodiversity in this vital region, however the vastness of African protected areas makes it challenging for authorities to monitor and protect these areas from poachers.

This has resulted in a need for innovative and effective solutions to combat poaching and protect endangered species.

The Challenges. National Parks in Distressed, Remote and High Risk Areas.

The client was entrusted with a daunting task to oversee the management of national parks located in distressed, remote, and high risk areas.

Unfortunately, limited social media presence and scarce publicised data about these regions posed considerable challenges, making it difficult for the client to make informed decisions about the risks, opportunities and costs associated with investing in managing these parks.  

Sufficient and nuanced information was also needed to effectively engage with internal and external stakeholders, who needed to have a better understanding of the social, economic and political climate in these areas.

This was crucial for sustainable park management and ensuring that all the community and stakeholders were on board with the conservation efforts. 

As a result, the client turned to Prevail Partners for their expertise in information collection and analysis, hoping to gain insight into the environment and determine if they could effectively manage these national parks. 

 

The Solution: Utilising Geospatial Intelligence to Enhance Conservation Efforts

Traditional access to information would have been through the conventional channels of social media and university research, which were not readily available in this specific situation.  

Prevail Partners recognised the need for a technical approach to information gathering and adopted a multi-disciplinary approach, with the primary objective to effectively communicate with confidence that information included in the report was authoritative, relevant, and current. 

Using its best-in-class commercial capabilities and proven open-source research methodologies, Prevail Partners was able to successfully identify, triage, analyse, and critically evaluate this information to provide the client with credible and relevant insights from a multitude of agencies who have reported on this thematic area.  

This included the United Nations Development Programme, the US Forest Service International Programme, and a host of NGOs who operate in this space. 

Utilising geospatial intelligence collection through remote sensing, information gathering and analysis of data from various sources such as drone footage, satellite imagery, multispectral and hyperspectral imagery and other open source platforms, allowed Prevail to conduct detailed analysis of the environment, including terrain, vegetation and potential threats.  

By leveraging the expertise and experience of their team members who had extensive knowledge in this area, their innovative approach and data-driven strategies resulted in valuable insights that were crucial for their client’s decision-making process.  

With these findings, the client was able to gain a deeper understanding of the environment and potential risks associated with managing the national parks. 

Client Study Pack

Prevail’s tailored solutions empower the customer to make informed decisions.

With a customer-centric approach, the team work in tandem with clients to understand their unique needs and concerns thoroughly.  

Specific enquiries are incorporated into a comprehensive intelligence collection plan that utilises open-source intelligence and remote sensing capabilities. 

The gathered information is contextualised to understand potential threats and the operating environment better. This ensures the provision of an analytical and in-depth report, which is then delivered to the customer in the form of a digital study pack.  

This study pack is an outcome of intensive research which is designed to help clients understand the prevailing conditions in each conservation area, and aids the clients in prioritising their resources effectively and efficiently.  

Benefits for the client: 

• Informed decision-making: The client made an informed decision on whether to undertake the project, relying on credible and pertinent insights provided by Prevail Partners. 
• Evidence-based decisions: With the comprehensive study pack provided by Prevail Partners, the client could evidence their decisions to their board, donors and investors. This helped them justify their actions and gain support for their project. 
• Opportunity for growth: The information and insights provided by Prevail Partners allowed the client to identify a new opportunity in Southern Africa and expand their conservation efforts. 
• Coherent operational strategy: By translating the intelligence into an operational strategy, the client was able to effectively come to a decision on whether to proceed with its planned investment.  

 

Why the Client Came to Prevail

As a leading consultancy in the environmental sector, Prevail Partners has been providing support to NGOs and conservation trusts throughout Africa for many years.  

Through their use of advanced technology and data analysis, Prevail has gained recognition for their ability to provide valuable information and support decision making. 

As a result, the client approached Prevail Partners after hearing about their track record of using geospatial intelligence to support environmental and conservation efforts.  

With limited access to ground-level information the client was looking for a comprehensive and accurate analysis of areas within Western Africa to support their efforts in protecting wildlife from poaching and other illegal activities.  

 

Key Takeaways from This Case Study 

If you are facing a complex problem in a remote or high-risk area, do not limit your questions and enquiries.  

There is valuable information available, and with the right resources and expertise, it can be accessed and analysed to provide you with credible insights.  

Prevail Partners’ tailored solutions empower clients to make informed decisions based on evidence-based intelligence.

Additionally, their customer-centric approach ensures that clients’ unique needs and concerns are thoroughly understood and addressed throughout the project cycle.  

The comprehensive study pack provided by Prevail Partners not only aids in decision-making but also helps clients justify their actions to stakeholders and identify new opportunities for growth.  

By translating intelligence into an operational strategy, clients can effectively manage risks and make sound investments. 

With Prevail Partners’ best-in-class capabilities, clients can be assured of receiving a platinum standard intelligence product, along with excellent customer care and support.   

So, if you’re an organisation in the environmental and conservation sector or are facing a complex problem in a remote or high-risk area, consider engaging Prevail Partners for bespoke solutions and expert insights that will empower your decision-making process. 

Email our Head of Investigations at info@prevail-partners.com to arrange a consultation or call us on +44 (0) 203 961 9923 to learn more about how we can help you achieve your goals.