A participatory trail web map based on open source technologies

ABSTRACT

Interactive maps can be an important marketing tool for disseminating information about long distance walking trails and a way to value add to the recreation experience. Providing participatory functionality to maps by allowing users to share new information or refine existing information can greatly enhance user interest and improve the product. This research uses open source front and back end technologies to develop a single page, database driven participatory web map application for the Walk the Yorke Trail in South Australia. The development is based on and assessed through a user-centred design approach. The prototype participatory web map is assessed by cartographic experts, trail managers, and trail users. These evaluations indicate the validity of the design directions taken but highlight the need for information quality and quantity when encouraging participation from knowledgeable trail users, and the need for tools to ensure the continuing quality of further submitted information.

ABSTRACTO

Les cartes interactives peuvent être un outil marketing important pour diffuser des informations sur les sentiers de randonnées de longue distance et un moyen pour donner de la valeur ajoutée à ce loisir. Proposer une fonctionnalité de participation aux cartes en permettant aux utilisateurs de partager des nouvelles informations ou d'améliorer les informations existantes peut considérablement augmenter l'attrait de l'utilisateur et améliorer le produit. Cette recherche utilise des technologies open source pour développer une application de carte web participative présentée sur une page unique et basée sur une base de données pour le sentier Walk of the York en Australie du Sud. Le développement est basé et validé par une approche de conception centrée utilisateur. Le prototype de carte web participative est évalué par des cartographes experts; des gestionnaires de sentiers et des randonneurs. Ces évaluations confirment la validité des choix en matière de conception mais soulignent le besoin de qualité et de quantité de l'information pour encourager la participation de randonneurs avertis et le besoin d'outils pour assurer la qualité continue des informations supplémentaires soumises.

KEYWORDS:

• Web map
• open source
• participatory
• volunteered geographic information
• tourism

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the Yorke Peninsula Council for their support of this project. We would particularly like to acknowledge the support of Stephen Goldsworthy, Operations Manager. We would also like to thank all survey participations for their input into the development and assessment of the web map.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

A repository containing the website backend configuration and code is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3526395. A repository containing the website frontend code is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3526393.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joshua Gore

Joshua Gore is an Honours student at the University of South Australia, UniSA STEM, SA 5000, Australia.

Stefan Peters

Stefan Peters is a Lecturer in GIS and Surveying at the University of South Australia, UniSA STEM, SA 5000, Australia. He focuses on applied geospatial science, remote sensing and cartography.

Delene Weber

Delene Weber is an Associate Professor and Social Scientist at the University of South Australia, UniSA STEM, SA 5000, Australia. He focusing on the human dimensions of environmental management.