Public lands in public hands: innovative technology and community science for parks and outdoor recreation

2023-2025
University of Washington Computing for the Environment Initiative
USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station

The goal of this project was to advance understanding of how to create and support more equitable and ecologically robust public park systems that serve people’s interests, and improve public health. The project team explored new technologies for collecting, integrating, and disseminating data to support decision-making by current and potential park visitors, as well as park managers. The project began by leveraging input from a diverse group of participants including public land managers from federal and state government and local tribes, advocates for equity in outdoor recreation, and leaders from underserved neighborhoods and user-groups. A series of two design charrettes identified specific information and tools that were lacking from the perspective of park users and then technological solutions that could address these issues. Then, two modern data collection methods were developed and prototyped: a custom text-messaging chatbot for conversing with park visitors and LoRaWAN-based sensor network for on-the-ground measurement. On-site testing and demonstration activities were conducted at local parks.

Additional Information

A text-messaging chatbot to support outdoor recreation monitoring through community science