Hi, this is my first forum post here although I’ve been an active iNat user for almost a decade now. After several issues with both poachers and non-ethical researchers, I have had to obscure or set to private all of my observations. I have selected trustworthy colleagues to have access to them but it seems odd to me that I cannot see them all with their accurate location unless I go into the observation itself. I am not sure if there is a url, feature or form to see all of my observations with their precise location.
12 Likes
welcome to the forum
existing feature request: https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/view-true-locations-on-maps-for-observations-with-trusted-hidden-coordinates/2568
7 Likes
I’ve always wanted to do the same. A bit frustrating that this has been something people have wanted for many years but haven’t gotten.
@stevemaldonadosilvestrini: I realize your question is about how to map the true coordinates of observations that you have chosen to obscure, but, if you don’t mind, I’m curious about the negative experiences that caused you to obscure locations in the first place. It seems that you mostly observe plants, and as a curator I often have to decide whether there’s a need to obscure location info for a particular plant species. Both of the issues you mention—poaching and unscrupulous researchers—seem like serious concerns.
For poaching, did it seem that poachers were targeting predicable taxon groups, e.g. orchids, cacti, edible plants? It would be useful to know the groups where you saw problems. My intention is to better understand poaching risks so that I can make better decisions about whether to auto-obscure locations for particular taxa.
For the issue with non-ethical researchers, I’m guessing that might be people collecting specimens without appropriate permits, or maybe collecting rare plants without following guidelines about minimizing impact (e.g. CNPS guidelines). Without naming people, can you share more details? Again, my intention is to better understand the risks involved in sharing precise location data.
2 Likes
At the moment there seems to be only one place on the site you can do this. From your home page select the “Edit Observations” tab. The map on that page shows the precise location of your observations and can be expanded to full screen.
I apologize as I am not the person you asked, but maybe this insight is helpful. I personally obscure most if not all observations on private land because I don’t like people knowing where I, or the people I know live or frequent often. Maybe this is being too overcautious, but it gives me more peace of mind in general.
2 Likes
Like several others on this forum, I would like to express my disappointment that it is not possible to easily view my own obscured observations on a map. This limitation makes it difficult to track changes in species distributions over time, even for one’s own data.
For my conservation work in mainland France, and in the French West Indies, being able to visualize these observations would be extremely useful. I work on both plants (particularly orchids) and animals, and access to this information would help me follow population trends and habitat changes more efficiently to use them for conservation.
I fully understand and support the reasons for obscuring sensitive observations. These reasons have already been discussed in this forum and include access to private or protected land, the risk of unintentional damage through trampling, disturbance related to wildlife photography, poaching, and collecting for horticultural or commercial purposes. In the Lesser Antilles, for example, such pressures are well documented. They are not always the sole cause of decline, but they can clearly act as aggravating factors. Several orchids, bromeliads, and cacti have already been extirpated or are now seriously threatened. Some collectors have a particular fascination with rare species or specific populations and actively seek out information about their locations.”
At the same time, allowing observers to visualize their own obscured records in a simple way would greatly improve the usefulness of the platform for long-term conservation work without increasing risks for sensitive species.
Finally, the question of ethics and research integrity should not be overlooked. I previously served as an ethics and research integrity officer in my research institution. While the vast majority of scientists and naturalists act responsibly, the pressure to obtain funding and publish results can sometimes lead to problematic situations. Transparency, ethical action and thoughtful data governance are therefore essential to avoid that a legitimate link of interest becomes a conflict of interest
For these reasons, I understand that they are probably strong technical difficulties, I believe that improving access to one’s own obscured observations, while maintaining strong protections for sensitive locations, would significantly strengthen the value of iNaturalist for conservation.
1 Like
Thanks @mgsbrown. It’s totally reasonable to obscure locations to preserve your privacy and security, or that of others.
However, I was particularly interested in the reasons behind the OP’s decision, because he mentioned a couple reasons connected with threats to the organisms he observed, and I thought that might give me insights into risks to bear in mind when deciding whether to auto-obscure locations for sensitive taxa.
2 Likes