Participatory GIS has had an immeasurable impact on how we think about, explore, and manage public lands in America. The presentation shares stories of how volunteer cartographers, who were in many cases literal pioneers, shaped our understanding of the vast expanse that was the American West in the 1800s. The presentation also charts the growth of amateur map makers throughout the 20th century, highlighting the many ways they have shaped what we know about, and how we manage, public lands within the country. The presentation culminates with a look forward to how modern-day GIS enthusiasts and scientists are creating and leveraging free, and public geospatial databases, to chart a new path forward for public lands policy and management.
