DRSRS (The Directorate of Resource Survey and Remote Sensing (DRSRS))

The Department of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing (DRSRS) was established in 1976 as the Kenya Rangeland Ecological Monitoring Unit (KREMU). The overall objective of DRSRS is to gather and analyse data and information regarding the natural resources of Kenya and to provide interdisciplinary analysis of such information as it relates to natural resources planning, management and policy formulation at a national, regional and district level. In assessing natural resources, DRSRS primarily employs aerial survey methods in gathering data, while ground surveys are undertaken primarily for ground-truthing. Other modern technology including satellite images (NOAA, Landsat and Spot) and Geographic Information System (GIS) facilitate development and use of database of natural resources. Systematic reconnaissance flight (SRF) surveys over the Kenyan rangelands have been used to collect data on wildlife and livestock distribution and abundance and environmental information are collected. The overriding concern in implementing these surveys has been to maintain continuity in procedures such that consistency of the data is maintained. Consequently, these data are valuable source of information on the distribution, abundance and trend of wildlife/livestock populations and environmental conditions within the Kenya rangelands.