Document Type
Contribution to Book
Publication Date
2011
Abstract
The geospatial Web enables virtually everyone to contribute to the growing col-lection of geographically referenced information on the World-Wide Web. In this chapter, we present a Google Maps-based tool that enables Web users to contribute two types of informa-tion: annotations and their reference locations. We further differentiate annotations into obser-vations and opinions regarding specific places. The potential of this approach for integrating lo-cal knowledge into environmental planning was assessed by conducting an online map-based discussion of organic farming among expert stakeholders in the Kawarthas area in Central On-tario, Canada. The discussion contents shed light on the participants’ perceptions of the organic food market. Moreover, the experiment demonstrated how a map-based discussion forum can be useful for obtaining public input on planning and policy issues.
Recommended Citation
C. Rinner, J. Kumari, S. Mavedati (2011) A Geospatial Web Application to Map Observations and Opinions in Environmental Planning. In S. Li, S. Dragicevic, B. Veenendaal (Eds.): Advances in WebGIS, Mapping Services and Applications. ISPRS book series No. 9, Taylor & Francis, London, UK, pp. 277-291