the GiGLer
The newsletter of Greenspace Information of Greater London CIC
Data Overview
Rivers of Data
We always knew that iGiGL, our new online mapping interface, had great potential. Its value in allowing users to access our data without the need for desktop mapping software has already been recognised by Natural England and the Environment Agency. For no sooner had we launched iGiGL than they approached us about the possibility of extending its functionality.
Read MoreTighten our Green Belts
Since the 1950s, London’s green belt and metropolitan open land designations have been instrumental in protecting open space across the capital. However, London-wide datasets for these two designations are not currently widely accessible and those that exist do not accurately reflect the current site boundaries as designated by London boroughs.
Read MoreStreet Trees
In the winter of 2008, we discussed how GiGL had been commissioned by the Capital Woodlands Project to help identify areas of London lacking street trees. In this article, we return to the subject but take a broader look at street trees in London and at aspects of street tree data management. The London Assembly’s 2007 report, Chainsaw Massacre, highlighted ‘the unfortunate practice of removing broadleaf trees to avoid subsidence damage claims’. At the same time, they found that ‘Londoners value the shade and cooling that urban street trees offer in the summer, how they improve street environments and reduce noise and dust from road traffic [and] crucially, how they also mop up carbon emissions’.
Read MoreConnecting London’s Amphibian and Reptile Environments (CLARE)
CLARE is an exciting new partnership project between Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, the London Wildlife Trust, GiGL and London’s Amphibian and Reptile Group. With support from the Heritage Lottery Fund the project aims to raise awareness and understanding of herpetofauna and produce reptile and amphibian atlases for the Greater London region. The current lack of…
Read MoreDragon Finder
A new Froglife project to provide GiGL with much-needed information on amphibian and reptile populations in London, and to raise the profile of these important species has received a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The five-year project is called Dragon Finder and will operate across all London boroughs. . Amphibians and reptiles are vital…
Read MoreSpaced Out
Along with providing information on species and habitats, GiGL also holds a great deal of information on Greater London’s open spaces.
We are currently working to enhance the coverage, quality and quantity of open space information available and produce a comprehensive …
Read MorePark it
The Royal Parks cover approximately 5,000 acres, making an enormously important contribution to open space and wildlife habitats in the capital.
Such a wide area means that there is a lot of wildlife to be recorded. The Royal Parks’ data currently account for nearly 10% of …
Read MorePlugging the Gap
Matt Davies, GiGL Data Manager In the winter 2009 issue of the GiGLer, I shared some novel visualisations of the GiGL database designed to help us all better understand the data we hold, whether they accurately reflect what’s on the ground, and where geographic or taxonomic gaps exist. We’ve been very pleased with the response…
Read MoreHeaven’s above
Dusty Gedge, Living Roofs GiGL is being asked on a regular basis for details of green roof installations, especially by planners who need to demonstrate how they are meeting Mayoral targets on green roofs.This is a relatively difficult thing to provide, as green roof developments are not routinely logged and are not visible to the…
Read MoreMaking data count
GiGL holds a lot of data. But what exactly does all that information represent? Matt Davies, GiGL’s Data Manager, is beginning to find out what lies beneath. Over the last few years the GiGL database has grown to become a considerable resource with approximately 1.3 million species records. As our data holdings have grown, so…
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