Participatory GIS (PGIS) Join public opinions as an information source into environmental decision-making ESRM 250. May, 29 th, 2012 Mu-Ning Wang wang0209@uw.edu
GIS is... A Mapping Tool An Analysis Tool A Participation Tool
The park landscape looks like General Public Unit 1 Unit DEM ElevationModels Trail Line Features GIS Specialists 3 Park Manager/ Rangers Vegetation Polygon Unit 2 http://www.mytravelmag.com/glacier-national-park.htm
GIS + Participation =?
Participatory GIS (PGIS) PGIS: integrate different views in an efficient way and be able to join the idea/opinions/or values with scientific information Basic Elements GIS System (data preparation, analysis, and report) Friendly user interface for any user who can read thematic maps Mechanism to facilitate and record participation processes
Forms of PGIS Implementation Face to Face (In-Person Communication) Place & time limits Contextual records only Limited by existing techniques Control the whole participation process Key to Success: welldesigned facilitation process & facilitator
Forms of PGIS Implementation Web-Based (Online Chat / Post Platform) Hard to control the participation process Everyone can access No time and place limits Meet multiple purposes Key to Success: welldesigned mechanism for interactive communication
Well-Designed PGIS Should Enhance the communication channel Glue public opinions with scientific information Follow the current institution and administrative process but get the extra values from the public inputs All with Spatial Referenced understanding to concentrate the focus of discussion
Current Research Joint Public Opinions/Feedback into Park Management & Decision-Making A Field Study in Lord Hill Park, Snohomish County Washington
Concept Model Behavior: Reporting Platform: Web-based Participants: Citizen (Park Users) Each level manager Planners / Scientists Volunteer Groups Applied Subject: Trail Maintenance
Case Study: Lord Hill Regional Park 1,500 acre upland nature preserve Multiple landscapes: forest, wetland, etc. Miles of trails for horses & mountain bikes
What could we do?? Generate a structured opinion from public Need a spatial feature (a unit) to connect with public opinions
Develop a structured-reporting table We all know only TABLE format can be imported into the GIS
CLIP Layers with Unified & Transferable Unit
JOIN reporting tables into trail layer Trail Class in Geodatabase FID Name Type Modification 01 Main Trail Hike Closed in winter Relationship Class in Geodatabase FID TID Type Note 01 01 Hike Closed in winter Relationship Class: Similar to Join operation in GIS Web database tables TID User ID Group Comments 01 wang_v1 Volunteer.
Prototype Design: Conceptual Model Web Export all opinions into Geodatabase Web Browser (Website) GIS Workstation Upload Plans Add New Posts Visitor Comments Response to posts Decisions Made Feedback: Commenting on decisions
Network Connection between Web Browser and Geodatabase Generate the needs of Unified & Transferable Management Unit into an entity (table), each item can have a unique ID for the linkage Relational Database: Use the unique ID to link different tables and databases Web Browser (Website) Get Public opinions (report/response/feedback)
Benefits and Contributions Transfer public opinions and discussion process from temporary consulting role to traceable data Understand the role of public feedback in the decision-making process Light loading for system operation & management Able to transfer the system for other applications by changing the management unit
Limitations & Further Research Needs Only suitable to use this system in lack of information situations with few stakeholder groups and simple social relationships small scale management situations It needs to modify if: There is more than one management target to focus on Not able to find a suitable scale to set up the unit How to testify the creditability of public opinions? This research is just a start to test how to use information technology to assist in the decision making process
Thank You. Any Concerns? http://office.microsoft.com/zh-tw/images http://www.deathwithdignity.org/voices/opinion.asp Mu-Ning Wang PhD Candidate, School of Forest Resources wang0209@uw.edu