Public Geospatial Data Project

This project was recently approved as official foundation committee.

Mission

Promote the use of open geospatial formats

Providing best-practise guidelines and examples for use of open and free standards for data (GML, WMS, WFS-T) and metadata (Dublin Core, RDF).

Promote public access to state-collected geodata

Lead by example in demonstrating economic value and research activity generated by open access to public geographic information.

Run a repository of open geodata

A collection of geospatial datasets shall be hosted by the PGDP. Additionally, links to other open data repostories shall be collected.

Present and explain licenses for public geodata

The PGDP aims to collect licenses suitable for the publishing of public geodata. The license shall be presented along with a summary of its benefits and focus.

Approach

The Public Geospatial Data Project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation is currently in the "definition phase". That means that we're in the process of putting together information about the kinds of things we could do, which organizations might be relevant, how the project might be structured, etc. Since the entire OSGeo is new, we're really working out the process for starting a non-software based project as we go.

Likely scenario

Information gathering
Develop list of potential participants
Invite people/organizations to express interest
Discuss potential charter (is there an "official" OSGeo name for this?)
Present charter to OSGeo Board for approval (or do the members also get to vote on it?)
- Charter should probably have "Terms of Reference" - i.e. what the group will do
- Charter should probably have an initial list of participants/organizations (not all need to be members)
- Charter should name a Chair and a Vice Chair (or co-chairs?) (must proposed chair already be a member or can s/he become a member by virtue of being part of this?)
Assuming project is approved - Get to work!

Potential Members

If you add people/orgs to this list, please indicate whether you're adding yourself/your organization or whether you are "nominating" the person/organization as a potential member.

Individuals

Please add yourself

David Bitner (self)
Allan Doyle (self)
Florian Kindl (nominated)
Pericles S. Nacionales (self)
Markus Neteler (self)
Jo Walsh (nominated)
Helton Uchoa (self) - User:Uchoa
Aaron Racicot (self) - Ecotrust - aaronr at ecotrust.org
Daniel Brookshier (self)
Schuyler Erle (self)
Jeff McKenna (DM Solutions)
Steve Coast (nominated)
Mikel Maron (self)

Organizations

EOGEO (self)
OpenStreetMap Project (potential)
GSDI Association (potential)

Events

Events where we can either promote our positions or are likely to run into like-minded individuals.

Existing Work

Geo Data Licenses

Geo Data Repositories / Group Collection Projects

OpenStreetMap Project
Free Earth Foundation
Canadian Base Data
Various Free Datasets via Bittorrent
Global Map - International Steering Committee for Global Mapping
Geonames.org - Geonames is integrating geographical data such as names, altitude, population and others from various sources
Geospatial One Stop
Global Change Master Directory

Geo Data Repository & Policy Research

University of Maine Commons for Geographic Data
MetroGIS Twin Cities, MN Metro Area Public Agency Data Sharing Effort
MN Governor's Council on Geographic Information

Geo Data Policy Advocacy

Public Geodata Project (IRC: publicgeodata) with the support of the Open Knowledge Foundation
Open Access to State-Collected Geospatial Data Manifesto

Open Access

There are also more general open access movements, often aimed at scientific data, that could provide a venue for broadening awareness of the geo-specific issues.

Berlin 4 Open Access - From Promise to Practice - March 29-31, 2006 Golm, Germany
Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities
The Locus Forum - "The Locus Association is a trade association of private organisations working to increase opportunities and reduce barriers to fair trade between the public and private sector, particularly in the use of Public Sector Information."