# Free form selection on the map

**URL:** <https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/free-form-selection-on-the-map/19016>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** question\
**Created:** [December 24, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/free-form-selection-on-the-map/19016 "2020-12-24T15:22:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![pisum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@pisum](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pisum)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2020, 3:51pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/free-form-selection-on-the-map/19016/2 "2020-12-24T15:51:54Z")

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currently, your 3 choices for geographic filtering are:

1. place (can include multiple places) – ex. [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place\_id=18,19](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=18,19)
2. rectangle – ex. [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=35%3D&nelng=-90&place\_id=any&swlat=25&swlng=-100](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=35%3D&nelng=-90&place_id=any&swlat=25&swlng=-100)
3. circle – ex. [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?lat=32&lng=-95&radius=500](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?lat=32&lng=-95&radius=500)

as a variation on filtering by place, you can also exclude places (ex. [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place\_id=18&not\_in\_place=110679](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=18&not_in_place=110679) or [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?lat=32&lng=-95&radius=500&not\_in\_place=110679](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?lat=32&lng=-95&radius=500&not_in_place=110679)).

others have requested the ability for more “freeform” geographic selection (ex. [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/ideas-for-a-revamped-explore-observations-search-page/8439/3](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/ideas-for-a-revamped-explore-observations-search-page/8439/3)) or other related functionality (ex. [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/ability-to-search-observations-near-within-range-of-a-place/14986](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/ability-to-search-observations-near-within-range-of-a-place/14986)).

that said, based on the use case you’re describing, it sounds like filtering by a place may get you what you need. you would just need to create an appropriate place, if it doesn’t already exist. (if you have questions on how to create a place, feel free to ask. or if you search the forum, i’m sure that topic has been covered in excruciating detail many times.)

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