Community-Centered Spatial Intelligence
Empowering Coastal Resilience Through Data & Collaboration
This paper outlines a human-centered initiative fortifying Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore against climate change by integrating local knowledge with advanced digital tools and fostering community-driven adaptation.
Quantifiable Impact & Strategic Advantages
The ESCOM initiative demonstrates tangible benefits by empowering communities with data-driven insights and fostering a collaborative approach to climate adaptation.
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Community Members Engaged
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Nationwide Collaboration Funding
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Weather Stations Deployed
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Target Villages for Expansion
Deep Analysis & Enterprise Applications
Select a topic to dive deeper, then explore the specific findings from the research, rebuilt as interactive, enterprise-focused modules.
ESCOM's Three Pillars of Data Collection
The Eastern Shore Citizen Science Coastal Monitoring Network (ESCOM) employs a multi-faceted approach to gather essential coastal data, co-designed with community members for accessibility and relevance.
| Data Stream | Methodology | Purpose and Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Geomorphology: Beach Profiles | Monthly surveys using a Single-User Beach Profiler (SUBP) [1]. | To quantitatively track coastal erosion versus climatic seasonal changes. This provides communities with hard evidence to support planning and adaptation decisions. |
| Ecology: Vegetation Inventory | Photographic documentation and identification of plant species using Plant-Net App¹. | To create the first comprehensive catalogue of Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore beach flora. This helps identify invasive species and monitor the health of ecosystems on beaches and dunes. |
| Climatology: Weather Monitoring | Deployment and maintenance of a network of low-cost weather stations and manual rain gauges. | To provide local meteorological data, filling gaps in official records. This enables a detailed analysis of storm impacts, weather variability, and their connection to coastal change. |
Digital Shore Components: Building a Living Digital Archive
The project's digital platform is built upon four essential components, ensuring a comprehensive and accessible living digital archive for climate adaptation.
Enterprise Process Flow
Historical Data Recovery
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Intelligent Data Infrastructure
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Conversational Interfaces & Digital Access
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Persuasive Engagement & Participatory Design
Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Resilience
The success of the ESCOM initiative is underpinned by a robust interdisciplinary partnership, integrating diverse expertise and community insights.
| Partner / Group | Role and Contribution |
|---|---|
| ESCOM Members (40+ people in 10+ locations) | The heart of the initiative. Conduct all field data collection, provide local knowledge, validate tools, and champion the activities within their communities. |
| Faculty of Engineering (Botero, Goerlandt, Pelot) | Provide expertise in coastal geomorphology, risk governance, and coastal engineering. Lead the citizen science methodology and field training. |
| Faculty of Computer Science (Spadon, Oyebode, Sharma) | Lead the development of the AI tools, the digital platform, and the human-computer interaction design. Oversee the student development teams. |
| Student Teams | The project engine. Perform data collection, system architecture, front-end development, and UX design, gaining invaluable real-world skills. |
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Higher Community Engagement through Participatory Design
Our model ensures that technical development remains closely aligned with community needs, fostering sustained participation and greater local ownership of climate adaptation strategies.
Calculate Your Potential Impact
Understand the potential efficiency gains and cost savings your organization could achieve by implementing community-driven, AI-powered spatial intelligence solutions.
Annual Savings
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Hours Reclaimed Annually
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Our Phased Implementation Roadmap
A structured approach ensures steady progress, community alignment, and long-term sustainability, transforming research into actionable resilience.
Phase 1: Pilot (2024)
Establishment of first ESCOM sites. Co-design and testing of the methodology. Initial data collection and community feedback sessions. Proof of concept report.
Phase 2: Expansion (2025)
Expansion of ESCOM network to over 20 villages. Development of backend database and AI chatbot prototype. Student teams engaged. Community Feedback Workshops on Digital Tool Design.
Phase 3: Deployment (2026)
Full beta launch of the integrated digital platform and AI chatbot. Widespread digital literacy training for residents.
Phase 4: Legacy (2027+)
Establishment of a long-term community-based risk governance plan supported by ESCOM and IT platforms developed. Publication of project findings and open source toolkits.
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