sandbox-taking-action-with-maps
This page is a work in progress!
Getting started activities
It can be helpful to start a mapping project by thinking and talking about what you want to make a map of, why you want to map a particular place, and who the map will be for. What new information do you wish to provide with a map?
The resources and activities below offer some ways to get started with answering these questions before you start gathering equipment and tools for mapping.
Figuring out where to map
If you can, visit the site or talk to people who live there. If you plan to do balloon or kite mapping, look for potential sites to launch or fly from, and check wind and weather patterns at the site.
Defining advocacy goals
For any community science project, it helps to start with determining your goals. This will help you figure out which steps to take to achieve your goals--in the case of mapping, your goals might influence where you capture images, what kinds of images you take, and what other information to collect at the same time.
Making a power map at the start of your advocacy campaign
Post by @julia_e_masters 1 | over 3 years ago
Below in the section called “Using your maps and aerial images”, you’ll find more information on using maps for specific purposes or audiences.
How to choose a mapping tool
How to decide on a tool for mapping: this activity includes information on open DIY methods for balloon, kite, and pole mapping, and when each tool works best and their limitations.
If you’d like to use existing maps and digital tools to create maps, rather than capturing your own aerial images, check out the section called [LINK_] below.
Tools and methods for DIY mapping
Aerial photography
The wiki pages and posts listed here are rich resources on how to capture your own aerial images of a place.
Organizes information on [balloon mapping](https://publiclab.org/wiki/balloon-mapping), [kite mapping](https://publiclab.org/wiki/kite-mapping), and [pole mapping](https://publiclab.org/wiki/pole-mapping), as well as activities and questions on aerial photography. Within the balloon, kite, and pole mapping wikis, you’ll find information on **how to assemble and use these different mapping tools**.
Written as a workshop, this wiki describes 3 activities that’ll get you mapping: 1) decide on which type of mapping you will do, 2) prepare your mapping materials, and 3) go map!
Information on [MapKnitter.org](https://mapknitter.org/), Public Lab’s free and open source software tool for combining several aerial images into a map that you can view online and print.
Host a balloon mapping workshop
Map with other people! This activity outlines how to get people together to map.