Revealing Our Common Ground: Mapping for Engagement and Empowerment

Abstract

Community-based and green mapping is used worldwide for participatory learning and research, asset-based community development and sustainability planning. As a community-based research methodology, it has powerful applications for place-based, teaching and learning, working towards solutions for real-life sustainability and health issues with local citizens and students of all ages. Committed to open-source tools and the sharing of knowledge, community mapping as practiced by the Community Mapping Colaboratory at the University of Victoria (www.mapping.uvic.ca) in partnership with the global Green Map System www.greenmap.org, have worked with neighborhoods, schools, universities, governments and planners for over a decade. There are more than 800 locally designed and interactive Green Maps in 65 countries, published by thousands of mapmakers and education-research projects led by youth, grassroots, NGOs, universities and municipalities.