Geo-Wiki

Geo-Wiki is a global network and platform for collecting, validating, and improving global land cover information through crowdsourcing. It leverages citizen science to address the limitations of existing global land cover maps, which often suffer from inaccuracies due to their coarse resolution or inconsistent classification methods.

The core concept of Geo-Wiki is to enable volunteers from around the world to visually inspect satellite imagery and validate or correct existing land cover classifications. Users are presented with a location on a map and asked to interpret the land cover based on their visual assessment of high-resolution satellite imagery. These individual interpretations are then aggregated and analyzed to produce more accurate and reliable land cover data.

Geo-Wiki utilizes a variety of validation games and campaigns focused on specific land cover issues, such as forest cover, agricultural land, and urban areas. These campaigns often target regions where existing land cover data is known to be unreliable or outdated. The data collected through Geo-Wiki has been used in a wide range of applications, including environmental modeling, land use planning, and climate change research.

The platform also facilitates the sharing of local knowledge and observations, which can provide valuable context for interpreting satellite imagery. This participatory approach helps to overcome the limitations of traditional remote sensing techniques and improves the accuracy of global land cover information. Geo-Wiki contributes to a better understanding of the Earth's surface and supports more informed decision-making related to land management and environmental sustainability.