From Remote Wilderness to Real Policy: Using 360° Digital Twins to Drive River Protection in Central Africa
Courtney Gallagher, CEO
EarthViews
Wimberley, TX
Remote headwater systems in Central Africa supply critical water resources to downstream communities, national economies, and globally significant wildlife populations. Yet many of these areas are accessible only by special permit, trained guides, and multi-day travel through arduous and dangerous terrain—making stakeholder engagement and policy visibility exceptionally difficult.
Through an ongoing collaboration with the Wild Bird Trust and The Wilderness Project, EarthViews has developed immersive 360° Digital Twins of sensitive riverine and wetland systems in Central Africa. These cloud-based, interactive virtual tours transport decision-makers, conservation partners, and government officials into landscapes that few people will ever physically access.
By pairing immersive visual documentation with formal scientific and conservation reports, these Digital Twins have strengthened communication between field teams and policymakers located hundreds of miles away. Stakeholders are able to see conditions firsthand: intact headwaters, encroachment pressures, wildlife corridors, and areas of ecological vulnerability. The ability to virtually “stand” in these landscapes has proven to be a powerful complement to written and technical documentation.
This presentation will demonstrate how immersive virtual mapping has been used to support real governmental intervention and protective action for ecologically and economically vital waterways across multiple countries. It will explore how Digital Twins can elevate the visibility of remote headwater systems and support protective policy decisions in difficult-to-access regions.
About Courtney Gallagher
Courtney is a former Naval Aviator and F/A-18 Hornet pilot with a drive to serve and leave the world a better place. She holds a B.S. in Business from Cornell University and an M.S. in Technology Commercialization (MSTC) from the University of Texas, McCombs School of Business. She and her partners founded EarthViews, Inc. to bring 360 degree virtual tours to waterway managers and restoration managers, making analysis, outreach, and collaboration more efficient. EarthViews' maps, combined with GIS data provide a pre-painted canvas upon which advocates and engineers can tell their story and bring a voice to the river. Courtney enjoys cycling, hiking, and kayaking with her husband and 4 kids in Wimberley, Texas.