HOT, together with the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and the National Statistics Office of the Dominican Republic, organized a regional workshop on sargassum monitoring. The training focused on the use of drones and open technologies for generating geospatial data. Participants included representatives from civil society, academia, and public institutions. This experience strengthens Caribbean collaboration in the face of growing environmental challenges.
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The Latin America and Caribbean Hub of the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) has shown a consistent commitment to the challenges of coastal environmental balance in the region, especially in the preservation and restoration of mangroves and the management of sargassum. This macroalgae, associated with climate change and nutrient overload, causes severe environmental impacts by reducing oxygen levels in water, affecting marine fauna, deteriorating water quality, and causing soil chemistry issues from its decomposition (leachates and gases that can affect human health). On top of that, sargassum also impacts coastal economies by harming key activities such as tourism and fishing. Despite scientific efforts, its observation and control remain challenging—particularly in the Mexican and Caribbean islands.
In response, we identified the need to improve the availability and use of data by exploring collaborative and citizen-led approaches. Our work began with the Universidad Nacional de Quintana Roo (UQROO) and its Space Observation and Research Laboratory, which develops models and studies on sargassum. One of the main limitations identified was the lack of high-resolution aerial or satellite images with the frequency needed to monitor the phenomenon.
This need has been echoed by the lab and by other actors, including allies such as the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) and the National Statistics Office of the Dominican Republic (ONE). Together, they fostered a space for reflection and practice around exploring technologies that democratize the use of lightweight drones, realized through the Drone Tasking Manager platform recently developed by HOT. This no-installation web tool enhances image capture, processing, and the generation of orthophotos and mosaics—facilitating analysis, understanding, and planning around sargassum management.
Researchers at UQROO guided us through the current state of the art and the modeling approaches typically used to study sargassum, which we integrated into an initial training course for various institutions in the Dominican Republic. The results of that effort are now contributing to a valuable exchange back with UQROO and other regional actors.
Sargassum Monitoring with Drones in Santo Domingo: Open Technologies for Environmental Challenges
From March 12–14, 2025, a workshop was held in Santo Domingo, hosted at the ONE offices, focused on drone-based monitoring of sargassum and the complete process of creating geographic data. The training covered everything from remote data capture techniques and raster image acquisition to the use of specialized apps for field data collection. The entire workflow was built on free and open-source technologies using the DroneTM platform.
The purpose of the workshop was also to expand the reach and application of innovative methodologies. The integration of HOT’s technologies, combined with the Global Partnership’s experience in community data generation, helped enrich the training experience.
This effort is expected to serve as a starting point for promoting these tools across other parts of the region, strengthening local capacities in sargassum management and other emerging environmental issues.
The workshop lasted two and a half days, structured into theoretical and practical sessions that allowed participants to become familiar with key tools for generating and managing geographic information. Although the central theme was sargassum monitoring, the workshop also highlighted the broader potential of these technologies to address diverse coastal challenges. Additionally, it promoted a wider perspective on data generation, emphasizing that this work should not be exclusive to official sources—civil society can also drive decision-making and local initiatives through community mapping.
The sessions focused on the importance of community mapping as a tool for generating open, useful data in contexts ranging from spatial planning to risk and emergency management. Participants explored the OpenStreetMap ecosystem and engaged in hands-on activities using tools like Tasking Manager, OsmAnd, Organic Maps, and Mapillary, learning how to collect and visualize data from the field. Drone use was also covered, including flight planning with Drone Tasking Manager and automated image capture from multiple angles to generate precise geospatial outputs.
Participants were also trained on processing collected data using OpenDroneMap, which powers Drone Tasking Manager, enabling the creation of orthomosaics, digital elevation models, and surface models. Spatial analysis techniques with QGIS were applied to interpret the data, including practical exercises like sargassum volume modeling based on reference images. Through these activities, participants gained skills to apply accessible technologies in community monitoring and informed decision-making processes.
Key Collaborations and Lessons Learned
This workshop was made possible through the support of HOT, which provided materials and technical staff; the Global Partnership, which supported logistics and meals; and the National Statistics Office (ONE), which provided the venue and necessary equipment. Additionally, the Universidad de Quintana Roo contributed contextual and technical knowledge, providing essential imagery for practical exercises and enabling meaningful knowledge transfer to a region that lacked an established methodology for observing this issue.
Beyond the success of building scientific and technical bridges among Caribbean communities—broadly defined—one of the workshop’s main achievements was showing that cartography is not reserved for specialists. There are accessible tools for anyone interested in generating geospatial data, and monitoring practices can be collaborative, supporting both environmental management and territorial planning.
Conclusions and Next Steps
Sargassum is a relatively recent phenomenon, and its monitoring requires the integration of diverse technologies and continued progress through methodological exploration—but most importantly, through regional exchange, which remains the most effective way to accelerate knowledge sharing. Ongoing follow-up is essential to improve models and strategies, enabling more effective preventive and mitigation actions.
The experience shared by Leidis Zabala, from the Economic Statistics Directorate of the Dominican Republic, highlights the value of these tools. In her words:
Learning how to use the tools from this course, especially the raster layer, will allow us to monitor the location of each building. Likewise, with OsmAnd, we can identify these buildings in combination with the raster. This not only facilitates tracking the movement of teams but also allows us to capture photographs and observe what the buildings look like. That way, the office team can track daily progress during field operations while validating geolocation and visual characteristics of each dwelling.
These lessons and practical applications reinforce the importance of connecting open, collaborative technical knowledge with contemporary territorial challenges in our region.
Looking ahead, we plan to replicate and promote more exchange spaces between regional experts—both scientists and community actors—focused on territory observation and decision-making, powered by the many possibilities of citizen science and open tools.
Resources of Interest
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