Monitoring of mining sites using UAV and radar imagery around the Benue National Park (North-Cameroon)

Abstract. Faced with the exacerbation of anthropic pressures due to the strong rush of populations towards mining in agropastoral areas and in conservation areas, the challenges of sustainable management of natural resources are now to develop the series of action in addition to repressive reactionism, realistic alternatives, as well as new approaches to effective management based on innovative techniques such as the use of UAVs. Gold panning is one of the major causes of the fragmentation and destruction of natural ecosystems, and of the rise in conflicts over and around the use of resources. It is also a real danger to human health and wildlife because of the use of chemicals and heavy metals. The use of UAVs to monitor mining sites in a context of environmental fragility and anthropogenic pressures is therefore crucial for taking stock of the situation, assessing the potential socio-environmental impacts and proposing effective solutions. The use of drones to monitor mining sites around the Benue National Park has enabled us to obtain high spatial resolution data using photogrammetry techniques and image processing. As a result of the various processing operations, the surface area impacted by mining activities, the number of holes and alluvial tunnels, and the watercourses impacted and/or destroyed have been accurately estimated. In addition, the collection of complementary data enabled us to take stock of the different actors involved, the stages and the chemicals products and tools used.