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New approaches to environmental monitoring: the use of ICT to explore volunteered geographic information

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Abstract

Citizen participation in environmental monitoring is not a new idea. However, recent developments in information and communication technologies (ICT), such as the social web and the miniaturization of sensors, have created new opportunities to promote citizen participation in environmental monitoring. The analysis of existing citizen initiatives that use ICT tools, identified the need for a framework conceptualizing ways to increase the contribution of volunteered geographic data in environmental monitoring. Environmental Collaborative Monitoring Networks (ECMN) are proposed in this paper as a framework that combines the concepts of traditional environmental monitoring networks with the ideals of the open source movement. Such framework can guide the creation of fixed and mobile monitoring networks and is organized based on three building blocks: (1) Motivated Citizens; (2) Sensing Devices; and (3) Back-End Information Infrastructure. To illustrate the issues involved in the implementation of the building blocks of ECMN, the Senses@Watch project is presented, which explored the use of sensory data as a source of monitoring data.

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Notes

  1. For more information please refer to http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/coop/.

  2. For more information please refer to http://www.ecc1.org/anacostiariverkeepers.php.

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Acknowledgement

This research was partially developed with the support of SchoolSenses@Internet Project––POSC/EIA/56954/2004.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ydreams, Edificio YDreams Madam Parque – Sul, 2829-149, Caparica, Portugal

    Cristina Gouveia

  2. Instituto Geográfico Português, Artilharia Um, 107, 1099-052, Lisbon, Portugal

    Alexandra Fonseca

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  1. Cristina Gouveia
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  2. Alexandra Fonseca
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Correspondence to Cristina Gouveia.

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Gouveia, C., Fonseca, A. New approaches to environmental monitoring: the use of ICT to explore volunteered geographic information. GeoJournal 72, 185–197 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-008-9183-3

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