Following the storm damage in early 2023, there became an obvious need to share information across different groups quickly, so an effective response could be planned.
PFK has been thinking of ways to increase information sharing between volunteers, staff and Auckland Council organisations.
One output of this has been a new map, created and designed by the award winning EcoNet group, and supported by Pest Free Kaipātiki.
This online interactive map will provide an effective tool to record, view and update plans, projects and problems related to reserves and public parks across Kaipātiki.
Introducing the Plans and Problems Mapping Tool, or P&P Tool for short.
Introducing the new Plans and Problems Mapping Tool
The problems we are trying to address
People involved in caring for our Kaipātiki reserves often don’t have all the information they need to make the best decisions. This map will allow users to view and edit the latest information on project, problems, ongoing works and safety issues in one online location.
Why is this important?
If volunteers can view current hazard and safety issues in reserves, they will be safer.
Volunteer groups will feel better supported and more motivated if they can view up-to-date information about their reserves.
Auckland Council will be able to view or request information about volunteers work in parks (e.g. track clearance, drainage repair), which may reduce need for contractor input.
Greater transparency of information across volunteers, PFK, and Auckland Council regarding work and projects in Kaipātiki reserves.
Volunteer groups will benefit from knowing what more about Auckland Council projects in Kaipātiki.
Auckland Council and their contractors will also potentially benefit from knowing what work volunteers are doing.
What can we do to help?
Pest Free Kaipātiki and EcoNet have created a mapping tool to provide information related to the restoration of Kaipātiki reserves and their surrounding areas.
Users can share information about Kaipātiki reserve areas with others via the tool, to be more transparent, at the same time as confidential information being restricted.
Items displayed in the tool can be updated quickly, so others can see latest information.
What does this new tool aim to do?
Provide a single online location for all users to access the latest information relevant to Kaipātiki reserve areas.
Allow users to update information and make this instantly available to other users.
Provide a map and data table view of the information.
Allow volunteers to make better informed decisions about the work they undertake in reserves.
How will it work?
Pest Free Kaipātiki will update information based on their own work and updates they receive.
Authorised volunteer users will have access to update and add information.
Relevant information from Auckland Council departments and the Kaipātiki Local Board will be added to the map.
PFK will provide online folders (Google Drive) for users to upload documents relevant to the records which can be only viewed by authorised users, allowing confidential info to be linked to the map but not visible.
All users will eventually have a read-only view of the information, restricted to only a certain level of detail (e.g. so anyone can check for safety or access updates).
Can you contribute?
If you already volunteer in on around any of Kaipātiki's reserves and want to view or contribute to this map, email Team@pfk.org.nz stating your interest in the P&P Tool.
If you are already a user of the CAMS Weed Map, you can email Systems@econet.nz and ask to have access to the P&P Tool.