COVPACT| A New Perspective

A New Perspective

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, protected areas and other forms of wilderness areas (e.g., arboretums, beaches, parks, marine monuments) have been closed worldwide. Your challenge is to lead the effort to examine any potential impacts of reduced human traffic in such local protected natural environments.

COVPACT - The World At It's Edge ( Impact of Covid - COVPACT)

Summary

Covid sent all of us to a lock down. During human isolation there were living creatures who were really enjoying the no presence of mankind. They breathed again. grew again. communicated again. The whole world story is similar to this. However South Australia- stands out with a different perspective focusing on mental and physical well being of it's residents. Project Covpact works closely with the Department of Environment and water and plans to launch an app - ENPACT which uses NASA data.

How We Addressed This Challenge

COVID – 19 is setting everyone under lockdown – or is it?

My team's challenge is to lead the effort to examine any potential impacts of reduced human traffic in local protected natural environments. I live in South Australia and we chose a Recreation park called Sturt Gorge and it is an internationally recognized area of conservation and geological significance. Team COVPACT used many NASA and partner platforms across the board to research this in global and local level to find out how COVID is impacting the natural parks and normal life. And We plan to launch an app called ENPACT - which uses NASA live data to encourage the residents of South Australia to find out what happens in the environment and how interesting they are and as residents how they could involve and use of platforms for their mental and physical well being as well. for etc. We approached the Minister of environment and water and he visited the park and met with us for a little interview . That interview shifted our research to a totally different level when he claimed there has been a 120% increase in human traffic to parks across the state.

According to the minister this is all about residents mental and physical well being.

How We Developed This Project

1. What inspired your team to choose this challenge?

We are team of nature lovers. We love outdoors and very much believe in getting out there and have fresh air. After Covid 2019 we were afraid of going out, even to a close by park. So that inspired us to choose this.

2. What was your approach to developing this project?

We first conducted many researches on available NASA data which gives you a clear picture how to be used in monitoring live environmental changes. Then we understood we can even see the change in growth of a very mild vegetation. We requested Mr David S- Minister of Environment and Water that we would like to interview him . He accepted the invitation and came to the park and spent a whole morning with us. And we were able to find out many new data and even discuss about some combined projects in the future.

3. How did you use space agency data in your project?

We used NASA data to research about changes after Covid. We could give time frames and see the differences between before Covid and after. And real time images. NASA data will be used in the app and App will have features like vegetation, air quality , water quality etc before you go out.

5.coding languages, hardware, software did you use to develop your project?

HTML / CSS/ I PAD PRO / CANVA/ PREMIER RUSH / VIDEO LEAP/ PREMIER PRO/ PIXALOOP

6. problems and achievements did your team have?

Problems - weather - heavy rain and thunder disturbed us few times visiting the national park and had to postpone until the next day. Our biggest achievement is that the Minister of Environment and Water of South Australia helping us through out the challenge and have made plans working together in the future as well.

https://covpactmeghanasa.us/index.html