Impact maps and location privacy for conservation
Set each portfolio’s Public map location to exact, redacted, or hidden, then publish an Impact Map on a page so supporters see where work happens without exposing nest sites or patrol-sensitive points.
Supporters understand programs better when they see a map. Sensitive wildlife suffers when that map is too precise. ArtInStack lets you keep real coordinates on each photo for your team while choosing how, or whether, those points appear on the public site.
Prerequisites
- Photos with GPS from the camera, or locations set with Set location on map in Media
- A portfolio for the public program
- A page where you can place an Impact Map block
Three decisions
| Decision | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Location on the Media file | Whether the photo has coordinates at all |
| Public map location on the Portfolio | Exact pins, softened (redacted) pins, or no pins on public maps |
| Impact Map block on a Page | Which portfolio appears, layout, and optional donate button |
Camera data on a photo page and species observations are separate switches. They do not override map privacy.
Choose Public map location
Open Portfolio → Portfolio Settings → Visibility & SEO → Public map location:
| Choice | Visitors see |
|---|---|
| Public (redacted) (recommended for wild places) | Softened pins that protect exact spots |
| Public (exact) | Precise coordinates, only when that disclosure is intentional |
| Private (hidden on public impact maps) | No pins from this portfolio on public maps |
Defaults for new portfolios can be set under Settings → Privacy & security. Change any existing portfolio on its own settings page.
Suggested defaults for conservation
| Situation | Prefer |
|---|---|
| Nest sites, dens, poaching risk | Hidden or redacted, never exact |
| Wide landscape or corridor stories | Redacted |
| Public gardens or consented campus sites | Exact can be fine |
| Internal science review | Keep exact data in the dashboard; do not publish an exact public portfolio |
You can show species on photo pages while keeping map pins redacted, or hide both. See Public observations on photo detail pages.
Publish the map
- Set the portfolio’s public map policy.
- Edit a Page, add an Impact Map, and select that portfolio.
- Optionally link a fundraising campaign and donate label.
- Preview on phone and desktop; click pins and confirm they are soft enough.
- Publish.
More block options: Add an Impact map to a page. Shared reference: Portfolio geo visibility and impact maps.
Exports and downloadable files are different from the website
Softening or hiding pins on your site does not:
- Remove coordinates from a Camtrap package you download for partners
- Strip GPS from downloadable image files (camera EXIF in the original bytes stays until you remove it before upload or share a cleaned export)
Share partner zips only with people who should see station locations. For GBIF harvest packages, choose fuzz or withhold explicitly in Prepare and publish to GBIF. Public map redaction is not the same control as file metadata or export tables.
Org-wide threat tiers, species overrides, and survey embargoes are configured under Data Governance for conservation. Those rules can soften or hide Impact Map pins for photos that carry conservation observations, even when the album is set to exact. The same page lists the shared responsibility split: what ArtInStack redacts on maps and packages versus what stays in files you upload.
Steps
- List which portfolios must never show exact GPS.
- Set each to redacted or hidden.
- Avoid putting sensitive GPS into a portfolio marked exact.
- Add the Impact Map to the program page.
- View the live page while signed out.
Verifying your setup
- Sensitive albums show soft or no pins, not exact trailheads.
- Changing portfolio policy updates the public map after refresh.
- A donate button on the map (if used) still works.
- Species on photo pages (if enabled) do not reveal coordinates the map hides.
Next in this flow
Public observations on photo detail pages