The opening seminar of the Russian - Swedish Land Administration Programme was held at Hotel Leningradskaya in Moscow, 15-16 September. The newly launched Programme is aimed at the development of a land information infrastructure and includes all the main actors in the land administration sector in Russia. It is a three-year programme starting in June 2003 and with a budget of 3.6 million USD. Mr Sergey Say, Chairman of Roszemcadastre, and Mr Joakim Ollén, Director General of Lantmäteriet, held the opening speeches. The conference hall was filled to the limit of its capacity with delegates from Roszemcadastre, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Taxation and Fees, Sida and Swedesurvey. Representatives from the Administrations and the regional and local branch offices in the selected pilot regions also attended the seminar. The first day was devoted to presentations of Programme objectives and activities as well as reflections on the current situation regarding land administration in Russia, as seen from the different perspectives of the main actors. The second day began with a presentation of experience and trends in the Swedish land administration infrastructure. This was followed by an animated round-table discussion on one-window principles, organisational interaction and client orientation. The seminar concluded with work group discussions.

During the summer 2003 Sida (the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) decided to extend the financing of the Land and Real Estate Registration Project until the middle of 2004.

The scope of the project remains unchanged. A new component concerning business planning and sustainable financial planning for GosRegister has been added. Mr Bo Lauri, General Adviser, will continue to work on a full time basis in Bishkek during the extension period.

We are pleased to host eight participants from Mongolia in the study tour 2003-08-24—09-01. They are visiting Swedesurvey on studying Urban Land Administration issues. Their names and positions are as follows:

Mr. Dashtseren Ganbat; Deputy Head of Administration of Land Management, Geodesy and Cartography.
Mrs. Dagvadorj Dolgormaa; Deputy Head of Administration of Land Management, Geodesy and Cartography.
Mrs. Eldevsuren Ariungerel; Head of Land Privatization Division, UB city Land Administration Department.
Mr. Agvaangongor Amarsaikhan; Head of Sukhbaatar District Land Administration Division, UB city Land Administration Department.
Mrs. Nagvaan Batjargal, Head of Bayanzurkh District Land Administration Division, UB city Land Administration Department.
Mrs. Myagmarjav Bujillkham; Head of Baganuur District Land Administration Division.
Mrs. Shagdarsuren Enkhtsetseg; Project Director/Head of Information Technology Center of UB city Urban Development & Investment Department
Mr. Batbileg Chinzorig; Project Administrator/Interpretor

Swedesurvey participated in the 21st International Cartographic Conference, ICC 2003 which took place on August 10 - 16 in Durban, South Africa. The conference was organized by SA National Committee for ICA in co-operation with Geographical Information Society of South Africa.

The theme of this conference was Cartographic Renaissance. The world´s cartographers and geographic information scientists met in Africa for the first time. Cartography and geographic information science will provide a meaningful contribution to the sustainable future development of the world. Sustainable development will not happen without geographic information.

In addition to our having an exhibition stand at the conference, Swedesurvey experts also presented several papers on relevant topics.

African flower arrangement.

Swedesurvey welcomes our foreign guests to the course 'Land Administration and Geographical Information' 25 August - 3 October, 2003.

The 25 participants represent the following countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

Swedesurvey is pleased to announce a one week follow-up seminar in Hanoi, Vietnam within the field of Land Administration and Geographical Information. The seminar targets former Asian participants of Swedesurvey's courses and seminars from 1998 - 2002 but others may attend in the event of vacancies.

Please find the Invitation with more information about the seminar under the flap "Training Programmes". Closing date for applications is 30th September, 2003.

This week we are pleased to host a delegation from Department of Survey and Land Records, Bhutan. They are Mr Choki Khorlo, Head of Topographical Survey Division, Mr Dorji Tshering, Project Director and Head of Cadastral Information Division, Mr Nima Tshering, Topographical Survey Division, Photogrammetry, Mr Kinzang Thinley, Topographical Survey Division, Geodesy, Mr K.B. Tamang, Topographical Survey Division, Cartography, and Mr Shankar Sharma, Mapping Division, Cartography.

The objectives for the study visit are to expose the participants to modern Geoinformation Systems and to prepare the inception for a three years project starting 1st August, 2003.

During the study visit the contract for Consultancy Services was signed.

For more information please contact the Project Manager, Mr Ola Wennerby. ola.wennerby@swedesurvey.se

Geographic Information Systems, GIS, can in combination with remote sensing techniques using satellite imagery and aerial photos contribute to valuable data to show the changes in land use. By performing change detection analyses, comparing the images of year 1991 and year 2001, changes in land use and land cover in the Buffalo City vicinity over these 10 years can be detected. Predictions of the consequences if the ongoing (miss)use continue can be made and can act as an 'early warning signal' to be presented to the decision-makers and the public.

A Change Detection Map can be also be used as a basis for revision of topographic and thematic maps, for mapping of catastrophe areas e.g. floods, fires etc., coastal management planning and also in forestry and farmland for management supervision and monitoring of deforestation and degeneration of farmland processes. The Change Detection can be put to further use in classifying and analysing the detected changes. This can be done either by visual interpretation of the earth information products, or digitally by means of a GIS.

To introduce the methodology, a three weeks workshop was held. A Remote Sensing Specialist from Sweden taught to supervise a change detection analysis of the local government environment using satellite imagery and aerial photography at hand. The assignment implied on-the-job- training of two Buffalo City staff to make them confident in the updating and revising of the operations needed for sustained surveillance of the environment in the form of change detection analysis. The end product of was, besides from a report presenting the findings of the workshop, a 'cook book' that in a facile way describes the steps of the analysis.

For more information please contact the project leader Christer Kjörneberg. christer.kjorneberg@swedesurvey.se