What is a Green Mapmaker? Since 1995, these are the people that lead local mapping projects, gaining important skills while they organize and present a fresh vision of home. Thanks to their robust inquiries and careful ground-truthing, their Green Maps have been produced in many formats. Now, with our new open policy, this term is also evolving in a small but significant way:

Literally, we are making space for creativity by separating the words ‘Map’ and ‘Maker’

Now, ‘Green Map Makers’ can share many more of the different types of projects they have created on this website. Within the Creative Commons 4.0 license, much more is possible, including the use of our icons on:

  • Green Maps: printed, interactive and multimedia
  • Experiences: workshops, exhibits, tours, games
  • Learning: stories, research papers, GIS, curriculum tools
  • Art: multimedia, murals, icon art and signage
  • Consulting: community-engaged planning, placemaking, design for resiliency, wayfinding and interpretation
  • Products: t-shirts, posters, books, graphic elements
  • Technology: apps, partnerships, tutorials
  • Tools: extension and translation of existing tools, creation of new tools to help guide local residents and visitors to take action


Green Map Makers, show us your creations!


and

Create a Story today about your Green Map and related sustainability/regeneration/social projects created with Green Map resources.

Map Makers, please contribute to our co-evolution in your own thoughtful way. Want to design new outreach resources? Want to help promote Green Map to teachers or via social media? Have an app or product concept that will help lots of people explore local Green Maps? Or an income generating concept? Want to see some of the ways Mapmakers have extended their networks? We’d love to discuss your ideas with you. There are so many possibilities!

Many people have made Green Map what it’s known for today!

How do we even begin to thank and honor the pioneering Green Map Makers? Even though their maps and projects may have been local, there’s been considerable collaboration across borders and ‘technology transfer’ to new places. Take a look around - you will be inspired! We are looking forward to the 'open' future, thanks to our innovative and thoughtful network.

Much has been accomplished under the Green Map banner - the Project Stories offer a range of examples. More of the history is shared in our Timeline. The skills and connections developed through this program have tremendous value locally and across the commons. It's great when we can work together! See, for example, the Mobile Site Collector's 13 language interface at m.opengreenmap.org. All of the translations were made by Mapmakers for Mapmakers.

There have been several co-projects designed to help others succeed as Green Map Makers: this presentation made about the impacts of our Map Maker Summit in Bellagio and the many outcomes that engaged far more than the 22 people that took part. Another example is the free eBook Mapping Our Common Ground". Originally discussed as a resource for grassroots and community mapping at our first Bellagio Summit, the third edition was published in 2018. And check out just a few of the innovative projects from Japan that impacts communities across the country, throughout Asia and the world - hats off to Green Map Japan and Aichi Green Map!


Policy Update:

Formerly, each Green Mapmaker had an exclusive right to map a particular city. This policy was set when the cost of creating a Green Map was much higher. Now, with all the low-cost tools and online options, our open license, and Map Makers’ desire to map out or create projects in districts and regions that don’t conform to city borders, we have removed the exclusive policy.

Of course, if there is another Green Map project in the area where you are working, please extend your hand to them as it’s likely both of you can accomplish more together. Partnerships are powerful!

Going open and developing our new ‘operating system’ has also been a collaborative process - special thanks to our Board of Directors, Map Maker Advisors group and all of the Team who is making this a reality.