Assessing the application and value of participatory mapping for community bushfire preparation

摘要: Abstract The increased ease for individuals to create, share and map geographic information combined with the need timely, relevant diverse has resulted in a new disaster management context. Volunteered (VGI), or voluntarily created by private citizens enabled through technologies like social media web-based mapping, changed ways people create use crisis events. Research focussed on response while largely ignoring prevention preparedness. Preparing disasters can reduce negative impacts life property, but despite strategies educate communities, preparation remains low. This study assesses application value of VGI bushfire risk reduction participatory mapping approach. It examines as practice not simply data source considering user experience contributing potential these activities increase community connectedness building resilience. Participatory workshops were held bushfire-risk communities Tasmania. Workshop included paper-mapping exercise digital mapping. Survey results from 31 participants at three indicated process local other members contribute connectedness, understanding risk, engagement reduction. Local knowledge exchange was seen valuable, dimension appeared even more engaging than specific shared. Participants reported collaborative maps effective collating sharing preference Some limitations online also participants, however, including issues privacy, quality trustworthiness. Further work is needed extrapolate findings sample broader population.