Sharing obscured locations with MBP
** Option #2 is the better option and a one-time request. This is the short version. A longer version with more info on why and our assurances on careful use is here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/maryland-biodiversity-project/journal/37899-sharing-obscured-locations-with-mbp.
Please complete via a web browser on a computer vs. on a mobile device..
Option #1
1) Go to the "MBP Sensitive" project at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/mbp-sensitive.
2) Select "Your Membership".
3) Under Settings, there's the item "Do you want to make your private/obscured observation coordinates visible to the project curators?" Click "Yes, no matter who adds the observation to the project."
4) Then add any obscured observations to this project
Option #2 (best!) (complete via web browser)
(** This is a one-time action with no need to add observations to a project **)
1) Go to https://www.inaturalist.org/people/billhubick and click "follow billhubick". (The ingester runs as Bill.)
2) Go to Account Settings via the menu in the top-right of any page.
3) On the Settings page, click "Relationships". Search for "billhubick" and click enter. Then by my name select the box for "Trust with hidden coordinates".
These options ensure MBP archives the coordinates and maps the record to the right county and quad (for use in science and conservation).
Comments
Thanks I did not know this was blocked. I'll follow these directions.
Thank you!
Thanks, Bill. I was wondering why my observations weren't getting into MBP!
done!
I didn’t realize the location on my posts were obscured! They can be added now!
Thanks, @nana10 and @kmore!
I'm glad you brought this to my attention. My spouse was under the impression that everyone could view the "extremely specific" coordinates I was including with my observations and asked me to make the location a bit more vague when it's close to home.
Done. Thanks for the insight. You reminded me to visit this site more often and post some of my archived photo's. Be safe, Tom
Thank you!
Please check to see if I did this correctly - you responded to my Easter Box Turtle siting. Thanks!
Will let you know if anything else is needed, @epfister. Thank you!
Done!
All done! Thanks for reaching out, glad to help.
I don’t seem to add that box turtle to the list . My skills lacking .
it is here 39.662 Lat. -77.963 Long
I'm guessing certain species have the coordinates hidden by default. Sounds like a good idea.
Yes, that's right. And this system is working pretty well, I think.
thanks!
Glad to be of help for the project!
Thanks, @brendaconnolly! We appreciate it!
You asked for the gpi coordinates for my observation of an Eastern Box Turtle on May 3. Here's the info. I was on a trail at Lake Needwood in Rockville MD. The coordinates are: 39.1229655, -77.1329874.
Done, thanks for the info - happy to participate!
Thank you!
Thanks! Did option #2
Great! Much appreciated.
Location shared option #2; good luck with the project!
Thank you, @hollyjaro. Beautiful photos.
Done, thanks. I didn't realize what the default was but I do remember the person with a house full of turtles :-(
Monterey is a nice spot. When I once visited, I didn't know I was so close to overwintering Monarchs. Enjoy!
Bill, Happy to, but I’m not finding the “relationships” tab. Dianne
Update: never mind that. Found it (not available on phone app)
Thank you!
Hi Everyone - I sent out a few incorrect requests over the last couple days. That is, I may have requested that some of you provide access who already have. If so, my apologies and please disregard! There was a little blip with an expired authentication token causing some to come in without private coordinates, but it's resolved and working well. :) - Bill
I think I fixed mine per your request but not sure it worked. Akorman60
Thank you!
I am almost always pleased to provide detailed location information - I appreciate the extra interest in the sighting!
Took me a while but I am On Board! Thanks!
I think I followed the directions correctly and you should now have access to the GPS coordinates for the box turtle and anything else that I might find. If not, let me know and I’ll try again!!
Much appreciated!
I am glad to be of help.
Thank you, Scott!
Followed the second option. Thanks!
Thanks, @crunglo! We appreciate it.
I followed the second option.
Done and done, Bill! Thanks for bringing this to my attention—and thanks for your efforts. Best, Doug
Thank you, Doug!
All done, thanks for bringing this to my attention and for all the many identifications!
Thank you, @sehrom!
Done! Not sure why they were obscured, i have no idea how I would do that. I think it's fixed now - please let me know if there's still a problem and thanks so much for your work-- Lisa
Thank you! Box Turtle is one of the species automatically obscured in Maryland for sensitivity reasons (turtle poaching is a concern). Each state has a list of species automatically obscured in iNaturalist (e.g., certain orchids, certain turtles). This one-time option works for automatically and manually obscured observations. Thanks again!
Bill, I had no idea that people were poaching turtles, that's pretty awful. Are they removed from the wild for the pet trade? Is there a place we can see the list of obscured species for Maryland or beyond? Thanks for curating!
You're welcome! Yes, the pet trade is the main issue with reptiles. iNat obscures based on MD DNR S-ranked species, which you can find on the Maryland rare-threatened-endangered lists. There's also a shorter list we consider truly "vulnerable" that includes certain orchids, bog turtle, ginseng, etc. Box Turtles are fortunately still common. The rarest reptiles face the greatest pressure. Another weird impact in the turtle space is finding released turtles beyond just pet releases (which is striking in its impact). Some Chinese Softshell Turtles found on the Potomac and elsewhere may be related to the food industry, where some cultures strongly embrace turtle soup.
done!
Thanks, @gaiaxus!
For my raven observation, I followed option 2, indicated as best option here. Save Settings button did not work, but I also tried the action straight from your comment on my post. Let me know if this did not work and I'll try again.
@cgkoonce - Looks good. Thank you!
Done! Thank you for the information in the article and the comments. I didn't know about turtle and other fauna/flora poaching - that's horrible and very unsettling.
Thank you Bill! I followed option 2 for the Hermann's Tortoise. If I see the tortoise again, I'll report to see if it's a lost pet
Done. Thank you.
Done! Thanks for reaching out!
Much appreciated!
I've done it with one of my latest hermit thrush sightings. Did this work for this observationhttps://www.inaturalist.org/observations/92772624 of an eastern box turtle?
Thanks. Yes, it did! Many thanks, @kaiju_dino10!
Bill,
Did I ever manage to allow you hidden coordinates? I think, despite your directions, I failed. I was certainly willing . I looked again at your directions to do this… but couldn’t seem to sort it out.
Thanks!
Hess
@hessmuse - Hello! Seems like the steps weren't completed. I think the key is doing it on a computer vs. mobile device. Then these are the steps:
1) Go to https://www.inaturalist.org/people/billhubick and click "follow billhubick". (The ingester runs as me.)
2) Go to Account Settings via the menu in the top-right of any page.
3) On the Settings page, click "Relationships". Search for "billhubick" and click enter. Then by my name select the box for "Trust with hidden coordinates".
Thanks! And sorry for the trouble!
Bill
done!
Much appreciated!
Add a Comment