The LEO Network for Water Ecosystems

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The Local Environmental Observer (LEO) Network (leonetwork.org) is a growing network and platform that enables anyone bringing any dimension of knowledge (i.e. indigenous, local, scientific) to share observations of unusual environmental changes to the LEO Database. These observations and observers are then connected with topic experts with different forms of knowledge for enhancement of observations. Edited observation posts, which are media rich and in story form, are then published on LEO's open spatial-temporal database. LEO also enables the creation of defined LEO projects with specific sampling or measurement protocols, thereby enabling the implementation of high-quality monitoring programs in addition to qualitative surveillance of environmental change.

The LEO Network is well tested in Alaska after originating in Alaska Native communities, It is now being actively implemented in Canada and Mexico, but is available everywhere.

If you look at the distribution of observations on the LEO map at leonetwork.org , you will see that the observations are concentrated along coastlines and rivers. This is an emergent pattern. LEO is naturally a database of water ecosystems, and social-ecological systems.

LEO can become a global survaillance system of coastal marine and freshwater systems.

Please join the LEO Network by registering a profile, and post an observation of unusual environmental change to discover how the LEO Network and platform works. Register using the online platform at leonetwork.org or the 'LEO Reporter' app for convenience in the field.

Please contact me if you have any questions,
Tom Okey

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