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<h3 class="pf0"><strong><span class="cf0">What you accomplished today</span></strong></h3>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Connected QGIS to DE Africa services</strong> using:</li>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>WMS/WMTS</strong> for quick, no-code visualisation (map images and cached tiles).</li>
<li><span class="cf0"><strong>WCS</strong> to retrieve <strong>raw raster</strong> data (</span><span class="cf0">GeoTIFF</span><span class="cf0">) for analysis.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><strong>Explored time-enabled data (WMS-T)</strong> and animated it with the <strong>Temporal Controller</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="cf0"><strong>Exported / downloaded</strong> data using WCS and learned how to pull individual files via <strong>Direct Access</strong> (S3/HTTPS).</span></li>
<li><span class="cf0"><strong>Styled thematic maps</strong> in QGIS (e.g., graduated colours), adding legends/titles for clear communication.</span></li>
<li><span class="cf0"><strong>Learned key concepts</strong> you’ll use later:</span></li>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="cf0"><strong>Composites</strong> (e.g., cloud-free annual medians) to reduce noise/clouds.</span></li>
<li><span class="cf0"><strong>Indices</strong> (e.g., <strong>NDVI</strong>, <strong>NDWI</strong>) to highlight vegetation or water.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<p></p>
<h3 class="pf0"><strong><span class="cf0"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #434343; font-family: Inter, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">💡</span>Key takeaways</span></strong></h3>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><strong><span class="cf0">Pick the right pipe:</span></strong></li>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="cf0"><strong>WMS/WMTS</strong> </span><span class="cf2">→ fast <strong>pictures</strong> for exploration.</span></li>
<li><span class="cf2"><strong>WCS</strong> → data with pixel values for GIS analysis.</span></li>
<li><span class="cf2"><strong>S3/HTTPS</strong> → direct file access (COGs) outside GIS services.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="cf2"><strong>Time matters:</strong> Use <strong>WMS-T + Temporal Controller</strong> to step through dates and export animations.</span></li>
<li><span class="cf2"><strong>Thematic clarity:</strong> Good symbology (classification, colour ramps, legends) tells the story at a glance.</span></li>
<li><span class="cf2"><strong>Performance tip:</strong> Start broad (WMS), then target a smaller <strong>AOI</strong> via <strong>WCS</strong> or <strong>S3</strong> to keep downloads lean.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<h3 class="pf0"><strong>🛠️<span class="cf0">Common pitfalls & how to avoid them </span></strong></h3>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><strong>Nothing displays?</strong> Check layer order, opacity, and <strong>CRS</strong> (project vs layer). Try EPSG:4326 or enable on-the-fly reprojection.</li>
<li><strong>No layers after “Connect”?</strong> Re-check the URL (include <code style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="color: #339966;">version</span></code>), click <strong>Connect</strong> again, and verify your internet connection.</li>
<li><span class="cf0"><strong>Slow map draws?</strong> Use <strong>WMTS</strong> for </span><span class="cf0">basemaps</span><span class="cf0">; limit requested extent/zoom; avoid stacking too many semi-transparent layers.</span></li>
<li><strong>Huge downloads via WCS?</strong> Clip to AOI, reduce resolution, or switch to <strong>S3</strong> and fetch exactly the file you need.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<p class="pf0" style="font-size: 16px;">In the next session, you will:</p>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="cf0">Learn <strong>what the Sandbox is</strong> and <strong>when to use it</strong> vs. desktop GIS.</span></li>
<li><span class="cf0">Get a quick </span><strong>Jupyter</strong><span class="cf0"><strong> 101</strong> primer (notebooks, kernels, files).</span></li>
<li><span class="cf0">Walk through an <strong>access checklist & troubleshooting</strong> (accounts, browsers, quotas, resetting kernels, saving your work).</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<p></p>
<h5 class="pf0">Optional warm-up before Session 5:</h5>
<ul>
<ul>
<li><span class="cf0">Revisit one DE Africa layer and export a small <strong>WCS</strong> subset for your city/region.</span></li>
<li><span class="cf0">Sketch a question you want to answer in Python (e.g., “How did water surface area change between 2019 and 2024 in Lake X?”). You’ll be primed to test it in the <strong>Sandbox</strong>.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<p><span class="cf0">Great work today </span><span class="cf1">— you’ve built the visualisation skills that make the analytical steps in the Sandbox much easier. <strong>See you in Session 5! </strong></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Inter, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">🙌</span></p>
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