Assessing participatory Geographic Information Systems for the ecoGozo initiative

Abstract

Advances in information technology have enabled lay people to create, use and share geographical data in an increasingly accessible fashion. Such citizen-generated spatial data is usually referred to as Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI). The tools used in such a journey are undoubtedly web applications which have stepped up to the plate when it comes to the collection and analysis of geographic data. In order to deal with these challenges and improve the utility of VGI, this research underwent the study of whether the Public Participatory Geographic Information Systems meet good governance in the ecoGozo initiative. It also queried the assumption that the participatory application of the GozoMap tool is effective, meets the content needs and satisfies the underlying interests of local people. The ecoGozo concept provided an unprecedented exercise outlining the long term path to sustainable development in Gozo. Such a holistic project cannot bare fruition without citizen participation. Henceforth, the appropriate frequency between decision makers and civil society has been set up. As a preliminary work to explore PPGIS opportunities in Gozo, a framework of the different types of VGI is followed by a review of the challenges and solutions related to the utilization of VGI. The development of the GozoMap tool served as a platform for the evaluation of selected themes from the ecoGozo action plan. On the other hand, participants interacted with the application to provide, explore and visualise citizen-generated spatial data from all the localities in Gozo. Findings revealed that the implementation of geo-visualization techniques enabled users to gain new insights on the data collected. Moreover, the PPGIS framework designed for this study provided several opportunities to propose and implement the interests and views of diverse stratas of society. Henceforth, the citizens will acknowledge the spatial implications of policies and actions and policy makers can appreciate the legitimacy of local interests in Gozo.