Open Green Map to Support the Greening of China

Thanks to all our Global Giving supporters! We are pleased to share introductions to the two newest registered Chinese Green Map projects.

The Green Urban Planning Group of Hefei University of Technology in AnHui Province says “ with persistence and passion, we are planning a garden-city future for the world as a whole”. With communities everywhere beginning to address food security, biodiversity loss, localization and health through gardens and urban farms, we appreciate their outlook. We’re excited to see how Green Mapmaking helps them as they set out to explore and resolve urban-rural issues while building their professional skills and community resiliency.

In Changsa Hunan Province, the first Green Map by AIESEC is underway. An international platform for young people to discover and develop their potential, AIESEC is one of the world’s largest youth organizations with a presence in 850 universities in 90 countries. Motivation for this project originated from efforts to protect the Xiangjiang, the largest river in the province. To do this, the team has created 4 groups - made up of teenagers, young adults, environmentalists and foreign volunteers - and will be testing out different mapmaking techniques with each. We hope these pilots lead to more engagement in the region and throughout the AIESEC network.

Find the profile of each project linked below.

We also have the following food-related Green Map projects in China in the process of registering:

In Harbin, there will soon be a campus Green Map at the Northeast Agricultural University China. The 98-year-old Green Volunteers Association of Northeast Agricultural University is applying its experience with environmental protection advocacy to this effort. Beijing will soon have an organic food and farm Green Map, thanks to the Jane Goodall Institute Roots and Shoots Youth Group. We are delighted to have this large network getting involved! Also in Beijing, our long-time project with Friends of Nature is continuing its work on transportation issues with cycling Green Maps – watch for the new edition later this year!

Open Green Map Update

Right now, the Fresh EPA students at Guangzhou Mega University Centre are translating the updated “About” section of the Open Green Map platform. When this is complete, we will be doing more outreach as there are still just 2 published Open Green Maps and 2 in development from China (Taiwan, for example, has 9). We will create a media alert with links to the how to video, the website’s flow chart (attached) and more. Thank you again for your support - and have a great season!

Links:

• HeFei China Profile
• AIESEC Changsha China Mapmaker Profile

• Complete Chinese OGM Flowchart (2 page PDF) (PDF)
  
• Complete English OGM Flowchart (2 page PDF) (PDF)
  

This year, Green Map System has an exciting initiative underway. We aim to make our physical collection of Green Maps and related materials created worldwide available to the public through an archiving library as well as digitally through online conduits. Accomplishing this will offer models of inclusive sustainable community development and help to spread awareness to localities all over the world, China very much included.

An important step in creating the Green Map Archive is the physical organization and evaluation of the Green Maps and materials. During this process, we’ve gone through almost a hundred diverse maps and materials created in China and Taiwan. Some of the most recent detail precious ecological systems such as the Hongze Lake (by Nanjing University), the Little South China Sea Wetlands (by Chongqing University) and Wetlands Techeng Island (by South China University of Technology)– these were created in 30 universities in partnership with WWF China. These three great examples are shown here, but all can be downloaded from WWF’s webpage linked below. Beijing, Taipei and other urban environments are included as noted in our earlier Progress Reports (archived at Global Giving) and in the profiles of GreenMap.org.

“Viewing such an assortment of maps en masse is a testament to the level of involvement and commitment that many Chinese communities have put forth towards the advancement of sustainable living in their communities”, said Joseph Pangilinan, an intern (and planning student) at the New York office.

Our Korean marketing intern, Jinhwa Ju added, "It seems Green Map is a great educational tool for many Chinese students - their Green Maps are beautiful with a hand-printing sensibility remarkable as the outcomes of proactive participation. They look very nice and they share a deep understand of the environment. I am most impressed by the Wetland Green Maps and feel these high quality results will promote the bright future of their local education and communities."

The advancement achieved in the creation of Green Maps and the development of this Archive could not have been possible without your donations and support. Green Map System looks forward to another year of working towards spreading green living and sustainable awareness in China and the rest of the globe. Find out more about our Archives in the blog posts linked below, and envision the new initiatives they will help inspire worldwide.

Links:

• Download Wetlands Green Maps from WWF China's website
• Green Map Archives Introduction
• More about Green Map Archive, with video!