Lake Forest Park project wins AGU collaboration to build Climate Hub GIS map and touchscreen

Lake Forest Park Climate Action Committee members reported that a collaboration with the American Geophysical Union (AGU) to build a GIS resource map and touchscreen display for the city’s Climate Hub has been accepted, and they expect to post a job description for a scientist to support the work.

Committee members said the AGU collaboration will produce a GIS map and an associated website that visually shows local environmental resources. The project team hopes to place a touchscreen at the Climate Hub that visitors can use to explore the map and related materials. Committee members said they planned to have a job description ready next week to recruit a scientist to help develop the map and site.

Committee members described the Climate Hub work as largely volunteer-driven so far, with ongoing questions about modest, recurring funding to maintain a website and the touchscreen content. One member said the project “is not expensive, but it can potentially have a huge impact” and that the hub could serve as a “center point for an educational effort” for local schools. Committee discussion ranged from seeking small donations to asking whether the group should run a crowdfunding campaign to cover operating costs.

The group also reviewed recent community programming connected to the Hub. Members noted a public event celebrating author Octavia Butler that drew roughly 50–60 people, two short videos about Butler’s life and a new mural installed in the commons. The committee discussed using Hub space and the Hub’s bulletin board to display outreach materials and suggested placing a QR code at the Hub linking to climate-related surveys and public-comment opportunities.

Committee members said several volunteers helped repaint and touch up the Climate Hub mural and that a donor had offered to sponsor bulletin-board fixtures. The committee agreed to continue curating the Hub’s display space so it can host climate-action information, local event notices and links to the draft climate element of the city’s comprehensive plan.

Members asked city staff for materials (a poster and a QR code) they can distribute and pin to the Climate Hub’s board to increase visibility for the Hub and for public comment opportunities. They also discussed using Hub content (short printed articles and graphics) to reach residents who do not regularly read online outlets.

The committee did not take formal votes on funding for the GIS project or on hiring; members described the project as starting “piece by piece” and agreed to pursue small funding leads, volunteer time and a formal job posting for the scientist role.