The Hometowns Project

Global Green Map Intro

2008-03-06T10:12:00.000+11:00

Green Apple Map History

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What Belongs on a Green Map?

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Jeruralem

2008-03-06T10:08:00.000+11:00

Hometown?

2006-06-16T06:45:00.000+10:00

Children and indigenous populations have a significant role to play in forming new ways for the community to appreciate city localities and suburbs.

They both offer approaches for relating in emotional and intense ways to their surroundings. These ‘ways’ are significant for one approach towards a sustainable way of life.

The maps, by highlighting the ecological, cultural, emotional and empathetic aspects of sites in localities can transform how people lead their lives and the choices they make.

The maps provide others ways for people to connect with their surroundings and from this, they can build choices of how to spend their time and money in sustainable ways into their lives.

Goals/ Aims

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The main goals of the project are to develop 11 green maps which make obvious the available choices for sustainable practice and living. Development of the Green Maps will involve 11 city councils and various community organizations.

Each map will be developed in collaboration with groups and stakeholders drawn from local communities. A particular focus will be to involve schools by conducting classroom workshops with children.

The key aims of the project are to share knowledge about sustainable approaches and consumption practices, and to promote the sustainable features and resources of individual localities to the community.

The benefits of the project will be to:
• Help citizens of all ages identify, promote and link to their communities ecological and cultural resources
• Build inclusive networks that encourage civic participation and accelerate progress towards individual sustainable practices
• Promote modern greening efforts underway across the globe and in Melbourne
• Celebrate the beauty, brilliance and diversity of nature, while making our hometowns better and healthier places.
• Offer a fresh perspective in viewing the local area by encouraging the discovery, personal involvement and greener everyday choices provided in the shared visual language of green map icons in each ‘locally created’ green map

What Kind of Map

2006-02-23T08:49:00.000+11:00

The first discussion looked at the GIS/ Cartography approach of the map makers of the city (Melway type). Subsequent discussion with students and people opened up the idea of maps as attractive posters, and collectibles.

Which then sent me off - to look at mythical maps and hand drawn maps. Some of which I have put below.

The audience for these maps are primarily children - and others who wish to portray their localities as something beautiful and important to take pride in. The maps are 'putupable', or pin up worthy. And revisited by children.

More Inspiration

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Maps for inspiration

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Why have you chosen to tackle the sustainability issue in this way?

2006-02-23T06:30:00.000+11:00

Children and indigenous populations have a significant role to play in forming new ways for the community to appreciate city localities and suburbs. They both offer approaches for relating in emotional and intense ways to their surroundings. Thse ‘ways’ are significant for one approach towards a sustainable way of life. The maps, by highlighting the ecological, cultural, emotional and empathetic aspects of sites in localities can transform how people lead their lives and the choices they make. The maps provide others ways for people to connect with their surroundings and from this, they can build choices of how to spend their time and money in sustainable ways into their lives.

Project work plan PH1

2006-02-23T06:29:00.000+11:00

Phase 1: Yarra City Map

City of Yarra, Collingwood College, Fitzroy Primary

1. Staff: RMIT/ Soumitri or TBC, Collingwood (TBC), Fitzroy (TBC), City Council (TBC)
2. Students RMIT: Elective students up to 10
3. Students: Collingwood/ Fitzroy - TBC

Project Details:
1. 4hrs a fortnight from July end to Nov.
2. Venue: Collingwood College (make Map room)
3. Research Walks: Students will break up into groups and walk thru the identified area.
4. The Staff/ Student team will generate large Maps of the areas for discussion.
5. The students (A) will make a digital - illustrator file - map and put their sites on it.
6. The Students (B) will make hand made maps for an exhibition.
7. The Maps will be exhibited at the Town Hall or other city venue.

Sharing knowledge

2006-02-23T06:28:00.000+11:00

It is intended that the project will create the Green Maps for Melbourne locations city council by city council and will involve new groups of volunteers with each project.

Each map project will be exhibited at a prominent location in that city council area. The project will start with a map exhibition at RMIT-Industrial Design.

Stakeholder involvement

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Stakeholders will be involved in the Hometowns Project in two key activities. The first activity will involve the collection of data for the Green Maps which will be done through a process of submission by the various councils. The second activity will involve identifying the things that need to be put onto the map which will be done by seeking community involvement. Community input will be obtained through conducting workshops with schools and community organizations in the various councils.

These are the Stakeholders:
1. University PG/UG students from around Melbourne (RMIT university, Melbourne University and Deakin University)
2. Locality schools and school students.
3. Community People: Elders and other involved in community action.
4. Government and Civic organizations.

The stakeholders will participate in walks, discussions and mapping workshops to identify significant sites of each local area to be marked on the maps. The process will begin with a briefing about the Green Map System icons. Volunteers will then go out to survey the neighbourhood, identifying sites that contribute to the city’s environmental and cultural life, and sometimes initiating lively discussions with site owners or inhabitants. Unique locally specific sites will also be considered for the Green Maps. Most volunteers will be young professionals, fresh graduates, and students of journalism, architecture, urban planning, graphic and landscape design, heritage conservation and art.

Things to do

2006-02-23T06:24:00.000+11:00

The steps in the project are:
1. Get Schools on Board
2. Get buy in from city councils
3. Assemble Volunteers + Participants
4. Get indegenous/ Wurrundjeri elders endorsement
5. Do research
6. Conduct Map Making Workshops

Once this is done then the last phase is to get Maps printed and distributed

Project summary

2006-02-23T06:23:00.000+11:00

The Hometowns Project will collaborate with city councils and community organisations to develop a system of Green Maps for Melbourne.

The Green Maps will have particular focus on children and indigenous knowledge.

The Green Maps will map significant sites of sustainability in a defined area which could include, for example, lifestyle features for sustainable living, interesting flora and fauna and places of indigenous interest.

The Green Map Atlas

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This is what the site says about the Atlas: " Welcome to the Green Map® Atlas - Mapmaking Stories · Volume One

Green Map System is proud to introduce ten truly inspiring Stories behind the creation of Green Maps.

With this volume, we have collected some of the best examples of Green Mapmaking, a worldwide project promoting sustainable communities. More than just Green Maps, this vibrant Atlas brings you voices of local leaders and portraits of ten community mapmaking projects, including their motivations, methodologies, key sites and outcomes.

What is The Green Map System (GMS)?

2006-02-23T05:56:00.000+11:00

This is what it says in the Web Site of GMS. The GMS was set up by Wendy Brawer in 1995 and many cities and town around the world have made their green maps or are in the process of making their maps.

The Green Map System (GMS) is a locally adaptable, globally shared framework for environmental mapmaking. It invites design teams of all ages and backgrounds to illuminate the connections between natural and human environments by mapping their local urban or rural community. Using GMS's shared visual language--a collaboratively designed set of Icons representing the different kinds of green sites and cultural resources--Mapmakers are independently producing unique, regionally flavored images that fulfill local needs, yet are globally connected.

The resulting Green Maps identify, promote and link eco and cultural resources. Merging the ancient art of map making with new media tools, each of these maps creates a fresh perspective that helps residents discover and get involved in their community's environment, and helps guide tourists (even virtual ones) to special places and successful green initiatives they can replicate back home.

The GMS network is active worldwide. Every Green Map is the result of a locally-driven process, but one that is influenced by other Mapmakers' experiences.

This website (greenmap.com) is the gathering point for these stories, as well as the place to find out who is involved and how they are making Green Maps. All Green Maps, from the first to the newest, are linked here. Together, they form a powerful impression of how communities around the world are making progress toward ecological and cultural sustainability.

Through this website, a small central office, and local leadership, GMS serves as a support center, outreach and promotion hub, connection point and archive. Our News section will connect you with some of the most exciting developments around the world. We welcome all visitors and have special sections for young Mapmakers and new participants, as well as Introductions in several languages.

GMS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization active since 1995. We hope you'll be inspired by our collaborative, award-winning approach to communicating ecological perspectives on daily life in a fresh, democratic manner. Contact us at info@greenmap.org and let us know what you think.

The Map Making Process

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1st Map Project: City of Yarra

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Meeting the Mayor: Two weeks ago I met the Mayor of Yarra and she, Jackie, was very forthcoming about the green map project. The City of Yarra she said would be very interested in the project. This will then be the first map making project. And the city council will be one stakeholder.

Meeting the School: I met the principal of Collingwood college(http://www.collingwoodcollege.com/) and she was very excited about the idea of a workshop at the school, secondary school kids making maps with the RMIT map makers. This is one school. The city has three wards and it should be possible to choose a school in each of the other wards. One possibility is Fitzroy Primary, and another school in Richmond. The school communities is another category of stakeholder.

Meeting the community: I now have to look for and talk to community organisations and other entities that represent the third category of stakeholder.

This 1st map project is therefore a test case and the pilot for the other 10 map making projects.

City of Yarra

2006-02-22T15:52:00.000+11:00

The City of Yarra is made up of three Wards. Each ward being looked after by councillors in the city council. A ward map is shown below. The green map process could use the 'wards' as categories to get stakeholder representation ward-wise.

The Melbourne Green Map System

2006-02-22T15:41:00.000+11:00

Last month I registered with Wendy Brawer as the Map Maker for Melbourne within the Green Map System. She immediately came back with the icons and links for further action.

I then began the process of visualizing this project. If the project takes three yearrs to happen what is it going to be?

I then met Damon Rao, who has been doing the Travelsmart Maps. His suggestion was to push the green maps towardsthe way he had done the maps. This was basically to get info and send it to a cartography agency like Melway and get them to put it into their maps. This is an extremely workable way to do it. And the maps wouuld happen easily. But then we dont want to do things that way - or so easily do we?

So I bgean to look at the map making process in greater detail or with a slow burn. And what I saw was a process - where the process is privileged - of stakehoder involvement.