Remote Sensing and GIS specialist, vegetation ecology and soil science

Hennie has 22 years experience in natural resource applications using GIS and remote sensing technologies.  He obtained an M.Sc. in vegetation ecology from the University of Pretoria in 1993. He has extensive experience in stereoscopic interpretation of black and white aerial photographs and obtained in 1989 a postgraduate diploma (NWU) in terrain evaluation for military applications.  From 1990 to 1995 he worked in the natural resource section of the Transvaal Region of the Department of Agriculture.  Here he was given the opportunity to do digital image processing on SPOT and Landsat satellite data for natural resource characterization.  He was employed in 1995 at the Geo-informatics division at the Institute for Soil, Climate and Water.  He was project leader for the National Land-Cover and land-cover change-mapping projects at the Institute.  He was also project leader and co-worker on various other projects integrating remotely sensed data with other spatial data for monitoring and mapping of natural resources.  He specialized in spatial modelling, spatial sampling designs and accuracy assessment of spatial data. In the beginning of 2002 he formed IRIS International including strategic alliances with various specialists inside and outside South Africa.

Academic History
B.Sc. NWU 1986, B.Sc. Honns. NWU 1987, Post. Honns. Dipl. Terrain evaluation NWU 1989. M.Sc (vegetation ecology) University of Pretoria 1993

Project management
Extensive experience in project management has been acquired over the past 22 years.  Hennie has been project leader for various local, regional and international projects.  Multidisciplinary teams have been managed and extensive liaison has been done with clients to develop and structure projects.

Contact information
Postal Address: 20 Boom Street, Potchefstroom, 2531.

Contact details: Hennievdb@softhome.net, 0828781760, 0182976287.

IRIS International
Integrated Resource Information Systems CC

IRIS International specialises in the application of the latest technology to characterize the spatial distribution of natural resources.   Remote sensing and GIS technologies are applied in mapping and spatial modelling applications.  Custom-made solutions are provided for packaging, distribution and retrieval of spatial data.  National and international networking creates synergy for a multidisciplinary approach.  Currently IRIS International employs a number of part time specialists on project demand.

IRIS International has extensive experience in the mapping and modelling of natural resources.  Remotely sensed data and other spatial data layers are integrated in a GIS environment and supported by relevant fieldwork.  Experience gained over the past 22 years includes:

• Soil and vegetation modelling and mapping
• Natural resource auditing
• Land-cover mapping
• Vegetation biomass estimations
• Terrain-mobility analysis for military applications
• DEM correction, terrain morphological mapping and hydrological modelling
• Mineral exploration
• The creation of electronic data atlases
• Spatial sampling designs and accuracy assessment of spatial data
• Project management for large projects
• Remote Sensing and GIS training – nationally and internationally
• Map composition and spatial data creation / integration
• Presentation of research work at various national and international conferences, seminars, workshops and exhibitions
• Scientific publications
• International networking

Projects from 2002-2013:

• Project management and technical assistance to the National Land-Cover 2000 project – NLC 2000.  The duties included technical consortium member evaluation and selection, acting project leader, edge-matching of classifications, quality control, training and accuracy assessment.  CSIR and ISCW NLC 2000 project consortium, South Africa.
• The mapping of natural resources (soils and vegetation) and land-cover for 5 provinces (30 million ha) in Angola at a 1:50 000 – 1:100 000 scale.
• The creation of electronic data atlases for several regions in Angola.
• The compilation of Rural Rapid Appraisal (RRA) maps for a number of municipals in southern Angola.
• Technical assistance for natural resource auditing in development nodes 1 and 4 in South Africa.
• Digital and hard copy vegetation map creation for the greater St. LuciaWetlandPark (South Africa).
• Geo-rectification of MSS satellite imagery for the National Department of Agriculture – South Africa.
• Geo-rectification of Landsat ETM and ASTER data for vegetation mapping for a number of farms close to Ghanzi in Botswana – space-map compositions.
• Space-maps for updating the vegetation types of the KgalagadiTransfrontierPark (South Africa and Botswana).
• Digital vegetation map, area analysis and map compositions for the KGNP
• Digital vegetation map, area analysis and map compositions for several private game reserves (including Phinda, Ithala and Timbavati).
• Digital vegetation map, area analysis and map compositions for the Roggeveld region in the Northern and Western Cape.
• High-resolution land-cover, land-use and transformation mapping for EIA studies (South Africa).
• Terrain mobility assessment for Africa on various scales – SANDF peacekeeping operations.
• Ad hoc space map compilation, and digital map creation for vegetation surveys – various areas in South Africa.
• Ortho-rectification of QuickBird imagery for a number of towns in Angola.
• Ortho-rectification of 140 SPOT 4 and 2 images for South Africa.
• Ortho-rectification of Landsat TM images covering the whole of Namibia.
• Hydrological modelling for Porto Amboim (Angola).
• DEM correction and hydrological modelling for the Cape floristic region and California (USA).
• Soil modelling for the Katse and Mohale catchments in Lesotho.
• Characterization of the agricultural potential of Tchiange and Uaba areas in Angola.
• Desktop study on natural resources – sugar production in the Cunene province in Angola.
• Aerial photo mosaic’s for a number of farms in South Africa and Botswana (including contour generation and the creation of digital atlases).
• Transformation mapping of forests, woodlands and sensitive ecosystems in Angola (national project).
• Conservation potential studies and desktop mapping for the Tundavala area (Angola).
• The mapping and characterization of natural resources in Namibe province in Angola – ongoing assistance for a PhD study.
• MODIS biomass monitoring for NorthwestProvince – SA.
• MODIS biomass monitoring for Kuanza Sul and Malange provinces.
• Habitat modelling for the Molopo area.
• Sampling frame for a national alien vegetation survey in Swaziland.
• Vegetation and habitat modelling for Bezuidenhoutshoek private game range.
• Vegetation and habitat modelling for Crock River Gorge conservancy.
• Vegetation and habitat modelling for Sabie Sand game reserve.
• Biomass mapping for power line routing (Delta Epsilon project – PBA and ESCOM).
• Soil modelling and mapping for 3 tertiary catchments in South Africa (3.5 million ha).
• Soil modelling and mapping for KZN and parts of adjacent provinces (15 million ha on 1:100 000 scale) – National Dept of Agriculture .
• Land-Cover mapping for the Free State Province SA (2010-2011).
• Detailed soil mapping for an area of more than 3 000 ha in the Kuanza Sul province of Angola for an irrigation scheme feasibility study (2009-2011).
• Extensive digital elevation data correction an area of more than 3 000 ha in the Kuanza Sul province of Angola for an irrigation scheme feasibility study (2009-2011).
• National dry-land cotton and maize production potential modelling for Angola (2010-2011).
• Hydrological correction of SRTM digital elevation data for South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho and full catchment areas stretching into Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia – Water Research Commission project (2009-2011).
• Geological feature mapping for study areas in Liberia and the Congo (2011) – Southern Mapping Company.
• Image geo-rectification for Rakodzi, Sable and Springvale farms in Zimbabwe (2011).
• View sheds from the SRTM Digital Elevation Model for southern Africa – SKA telescope project (2011)
• Semi detail soil mapping (2 000ha) for the Nkomazi area (2011).
• Land-cover mapping for the Upper Orange River catchment (31 SPOT 5 images – 2011).
• Iron deposit probability mapping for the Melmoth area – Southern Mapping Company (2011).
• Field maps and burn management map compositions for Alicecot, Inyati and Ulusaba – Sabie Sand Game reserve (2011).
• Biodiversity, habitat land-use mapping for Jagtlust – Mpumalanga (2011) – joint project with EnviroPule.
• Fire scar mapping for 3 seasons PilanesburgNational Park and surrounding areas (2011).
• Evelyn vegetation map composition – (2012) Department of Botany University of Pretoria
• Map compositions  to show the area affected by the 2011 veld fire for 3 study areas (Amalia, Ventersdorp and Bodibe) NW University (2012)
• Habitat, bush density and biomass maps for the Mier and Khuis areas (Kalahari Namib project) – NW University (2012).
• Map compositions for the Amalia, Ventersdoerp and Bodibe areas affected by the 2011 veld fire ) – NW University (2012).
• Geological feature mapping for study areas in the DRC – Southern Mapping Company (2012).
• Flood analysis for a catchment in the Central African Republic – Southern Mapping Company (2012).
• Soil and vegetation mapping for the SASOL Sasolburg and Secunda conservation and farming areas – joint project with EnviroPulse (2012).
• Wetland mapping for the KrugerNational Park and surrounding areas – Water Research Commission and KNP (2010-2012 – ongoing project)
• Geological feature mapping and target mineral probability mapping and modelling for a study area in Madagascar – Southern Mapping Company (2012 – ongoing project).
• Kloof Driefontein Complex – East vegetation map composition – (2012) Ecotrust
• Geological feature mapping for a study area in Sudan – Southern Mapping Company (2012 – ongoing project).
• SKA -telescope core area flood risk mapping – Southern Mapping Company (2012 – ongoing project)
• Vegetation map compilations Roodepoort – EnviroPulse (2012)
• BlackEagleValley mapcomposition  – Heli Trace Trust (2012)
• Congo – Sintikoula vegetation map composition – FLORA FAUNA & MAN, Ecological Services Ltd (2012)
• Mineral exploration in Madagascar using multi-spectral and hyper-spectral satellite imagery Southern Mapping Company (2013)
• Soil and terrain survey for the Wonderwater mine rehabilitation – SASOL (2013)
• Wetland mapping for Kruger, Marekele and Mapungubwe National Parks – IP (2013 – ongoing project)
• Land-use change mapping for the period 1985-2010 Congo Mayoko Exxaro study area (2013)