Pixel Parity: Predicting Taro Cultivation on Geospatially Undeserved Islands

Cyrus Hulen* and Jennifer Kahn

Rurutu is a small island located in the Austral Islands in East Polynesia. This paper presents the process and results of a novel predictive geospatial model capable of identifying areas of taro cultivation on islands with poor quality digital elevation models. The DEM available for Rurutu is an oversampled 5m digital surface model taken from satellite stereoimagery. These results are compared with ground truthing fieldwork in the Peva Iti valley on the east side of the island as well as historic aerial photos, historic maps, and modern satellite imagery. Understanding the extent of pre-contact taro cultivation is significant for the purposes of revitalizing agricultural practice as many communities on small islands across the Pacific are interested in revitalization efforts both in practical terms and as cultural practice.