Why is an aerial perspective so important for environmental matters?

Visibility
Issues that are almost invisible from the ground are immediately apparent from the air  -  e.g. illegal cottages, roads, and mines on the Wild Coast

Location
Accurate GPS mapping of problem areas for later ground verification

Time
Three hours in the air, with one observer and perhaps one photographer, will frequently accomplish the work of a team of ground-based field workers, in a bakkie and on foot, over a significantly longer period

Cost
The cost savings to the beneficiary organisation of a three-hour flight for two staff members, compared with the expense of a ground-based crew, road transport and many more hours