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Slideshow: The Beautiful and Impactful Aerial Imagery of Grassroots Mapping

The DIY cartography movement of grassroots mapping not only creates stunning imagery, but collects important data that can make a real difference.

Ben Jervey
By Ben JerveyMar 25, 2011
Ben Jervey
Ben is a writer and editor covering climate change, energy, and environment, and is currently the Climate and Energy Media Fellow at Vermont Law School. He was the original Environment Editor at GOOD Magazine and his work has appeared regularly in National Geographic News, Grist, DeSmogBlog, and OnEarth. He recently worked with the non-profit Focus the Nation to publish an Energy 101 primer. When living in New York City, he wrote a book, The Big Green Apple, on how to live a lower impact life in the city. A bicycle enthusiast, Ben has ridden across the United States and through much of Europe.
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Want to learn more about grassroots mapping? Read this post about the burgeoning movement and the Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science.

All images have been dedicated to the Public Domain, or used with permission by the photographers/cartographers.

Special thanks to Jeff Warren, Stewart Long, Liz Barry, Ray Cha, and all of the grassroots mappers who are building a cartographic movement that makes a difference, and for providing their images and expertise here.

mappingcartographygoogle mapsgeographyoil spillgulf oil spillgrassroots mappingcitizen mapping

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