Helping residents locate and interact with nature
Requirement
After a competitive tender, gi Perspective was commissioned by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC), which is developing a 21st-century garden city in North Kent, to create an interactive digital map system. The map’s remit was to help residents locate nature within Ebbsfleet Garden City, assess the quality of the environment, and learn how to contribute to its care. It aimed for users to explore various types of green infrastructure, such as habitats, individual trees, and sustainable drainage systems, to learn more and report issues.
Solution
We proposed leveraging Esri’s ArcGIS Online platform and integrating several apps to create a unified system using proven technology:
- Integrated apps like Experience Builder, Survey123, and Story Maps to create a unified digital mapping system.
- Developed detailed mock-ups to demonstrate how the system would function and integrate the various tools.
- Digitised tree locations and species from housing plans, linking them to stock photos for easy identification.
- Collated and imported data for Sustainable Drainage Systems, allotments, and habitats.
- Created location-based surveys for mobile devices, allowing users to add new trees, record wildlife sighting and report issues.
- Provided EDC with a streamlined system to manage and verify user-submitted data
Result
The GREENmap empowers the community to easily explore green spaces, parks, and sustainable features across Ebbsfleet Garden City, helping to shape sustainable urban development. It showcases how GIS technology can enhance environmental awareness and engagement. gi Perspective was thanked by Kelly Haynes, Environment and Sustainability Manager, for bringing their vision to life.
Image 1: Farknot Architect/stock.adobe.com
Header Image, Images 2&3: courtesy of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation
