In the September, 2010, issue of TNC's Science Chronicles I wrote a piece on online mapping as an emerging decision support tool for conservation science and marine spatial planning. Excerpts of this are below:

"For those of us conservationists using GIS technology, the debate is hardly new: which software to use, which data and analyses best represent our conservation needs and goals, and how to convey our geospatial analytical results to lay audiences. Throw in the complication of posting data on the web, and the communication issues multiply. How can geospatial information on the web move the conservation needle? How do you decide on the appropriate web technology? Does one technology fit all?

"An application programming interface — API — is the software technology that enables computer programmers to create mapping applications we see on the Internet.

"Within the Conservancy, we are primarily using ESRI-supported [web mapping] technologies. The Adobe Flex API is the primary platform used among our GIS enterprise systems and regions (e.g., Core conservation data: http://maps.tnc.org/coredata/; Caribbean protected areas; https://ecad.tnc.org/CARIBPA/index.html). Conservancy folks new to this arena are most often steered in the ESRI direction. The argument here is that Flex has the best browser compatibility and the largest group of users sharing code on ESRI’s resource center. It comes with a free sample viewer and requires almost no development effort.

"Other Conservancy programs have adopted an embedded, browser-based solution in the ESRI-designed Javascript API (e.g., Climate Wizard: www.climatewizard.org) or Open Layers API (e.g. Coastal Resilience:  www.coastalresilience.org). While these choices of API also run with ESRI technology on the server, they also allow programmers to link to Google Maps and open source technology. These presentations could be viewed as a kind of hybrid, taking advantage of both ESRI data systems and Google base maps.

The Conservancy has yet to thoroughly examine the Google solution and therefore take advantage of its speed and agility, although several Conservancy teams are in talks with Google to explore future options."

Since this article came out we have launched another online mapping application for our work in the Gulf of Mexico (http://GulfRestorationDS.org). The Gulf Restoration Decision Support project (based on the ESRI-designed Javascript API) is being advanced to inform the identification of restoration projects with maximum socio-economic and ecological benefits.  We chose the Javascript API because it accommodates Google, ESRI and Open Street base map options, it relies on a robust database management system behind the interface, and can be programmed to conduct advanced analyses across ecological, social and economic features. A coalition of partners including The Nature Conservancy, NOAA, ESRI, the University of Southern Mississippi, the Natural Capital Project, and others is providing decision support by developing this interactive web-based mapping application. One more excerpt:

"The heart of this debate [choosing the right API] is in the investment we make for any particular solution. Some solutions may be free, easy to initially pick up, while others require investment up front; but all require a significant amount of time and resources building the skills to fully take advantage of them. That initial investment is often based on the skill set of the project team or the opportunity presented to that team, not necessarily the result of strategic thinking. Which technological solutions support my project’s aims and objectives? This debate has most recently been dividing the conservation community."

As stated in the article, "our work is rooted in conservation science; technology plays the supporting role," the development of Gulf Restoration Decision Support is designed to help practitioners and managers make efficient choices for identifying restoration priorities. Our technological choices are being driven by the need to inform the prioritization process, having a flexible and adaptable interface that allows users to readily find and examine the information they need. Elements to consider when choosing the right technology include the number of users that will use the site, the database management system needed behind the scenes, whether you are creating a central repository of information with a viewer (i.e. an online atlas) or an interactive site where users can query the data and/or contribute information, and graphic design for intuitive use. Investments in a specific technology should be based on the data and functionality needed to meet project objectives, and on the partnerships being cultivated to implement them; not by what low hanging technological fruit may be available for fast and easy adoption.