Community Resources and Partnerships/India Rapid Project/Wiki Commons of the Wild
Applicant
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Shiv's fotografia
- Organization
N/A
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
N/A
Project
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Wiki Commons of the Wild
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-01-18 - 2025-06-01
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
India
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Other (please specify) Wikimedia wildlife Expedition
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
The Wikimedia Biodiversity Documentation Project is dedicated to showcasing India’s rich natural heritage by documenting over 1,000 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, flora, and fauna through high-resolution photography. This initiative connects professional photographers, citizen scientists, and nature enthusiasts to contribute verified images and content to Wikimedia Commons, strengthening open-source access to authentic biodiversity data.
Many species on Wikimedia remain underrepresented or lack quality photographs. This photo-expedition movement bridges that gap, ensuring free access to accurate visuals for researchers, educators, conservationists, and the public. Beyond creating a digital archive, the project promotes community participation and environmental awareness, especially among youth.
My mission is to make India’s extraordinary biodiversity accessible without barriers - empowering knowledge, inspiring conservation, and building a lasting visual legacy on an open platform where every image tells a story of coexistence, learning, and hope for the wild.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
The planned activities for this project include a series of biodiversity documentation and community engagement initiatives across selected regions of India. The key activities are:
- Photo Expeditions - Conducting field expeditions to document over 1,000 species of fauna and flora with high-resolution photographs for Wikimedia Commons.
- Community Building - Engaging professional and amateur photographers, field biologists, and students to contribute verified images and content to Wikimedia’s open-source platform.
- Awareness Workshops - Organizing training and outreach sessions to promote Wikimedia’s role in biodiversity conservation and open knowledge sharing.
- Data Verification & Upload - Ensuring scientific accuracy and categorization of all documented species before uploading to Wikimedia Commons.
These activities will help fill knowledge gaps, promote collaboration among nature enthusiasts, and strengthen India’s open-source biodiversity network. Project details and updates will be shared on the public project page for transparency and collaboration.
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc.
I am an individual contributor leading this wildlife initiative, focusing on buffer areas with limited access, documenting rare and lesser-known species. My Wikimedia Commons username is Shiv’s Fotografia, where I actively contribute high-quality wildlife photographs. Though not a formal team, I collaborate with volunteers, photographers, field biologists, and local naturalists who share a passion for open-source conservation. All participants are volunteers, contributing their time and expertise toward building a digital archive of India’s biodiversity. This project aims to bring visibility to under-documented habitats while embodying the Wikimedia spirit of openness, collaboration, and knowledge sharing for global conservation awareness.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
The target participants include professional and amateur wildlife photographers, field biologists, students, naturalists, and conservation enthusiasts from across India, especially those working in biodiversity-rich buffer zones and tribal landscapes. Before the activities, I will engage participants through online awareness sessions, social media outreach, and local community coordination with the support of forest departments and guides. During the activities, we will conduct photo expeditions, awareness camps, and interactive field sessions to promote Wikimedia Commons as an open platform for sharing verified species photographs and information. After the activities, participants will be encouraged to upload images, share field data, and collaborate via online groups for continued engagement. A follow-up plan includes creating a WhatsApp or email network where participants can receive updates, training support, and appreciation certificates. This approach builds a sustainable, informed community dedicated to open-source wildlife documentation and conservation awareness through Wikimedia.
- 9.1. If your project includes in-person activities, are there any international participants travelling to India for them? (required)
- No
- 9.1.1. List all countries of participation. (required)
- 9.2. Will the project be transferring funds to any international participants? (required)
- No
- 9.2.1. List all international participants receiving funding and their countries. (required)
N/A
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
- No
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
N/A
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
The idea of this project was discussed with Wikimedia Commons contributors, wildlife photographers, and conservation groups who share a common goal of promoting open-source biodiversity documentation. Initial discussions were held through online meetings, email exchanges, and social media interactions with contributors already working on wildlife documentation in India. I also connected with local naturalists, forest guides, and Wikimedia India community members to align the project with ongoing open-source and conservation efforts. Their feedback helped refine the project’s objectives and identify key focus areas such as training contributors, improving image quality, and engaging new participants. The project complements ongoing Wikimedia initiatives that encourage high-quality visual contributions from field professionals. The discussion emphasized collaboration rather than duplication, ensuring that the project strengthens Wikimedia Commons as a reliable biodiversity resource. Once approved, regular updates and progress reports will be shared openly on Meta-Wiki and community channels to maintain transparency and engagement.
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Other Important Topics (topics considered to be of impact or important in the specific context)
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Other
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Not applicable
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Innovate in Free Knowledge
Metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Through this project, I aim to learn how community-driven wildlife documentation can strengthen open-source knowledge platforms like Wikimedia Commons while promoting biodiversity awareness. One key learning goal is to understand how to motivate and sustain participation from both professional and amateur photographers in contributing high-quality, verifiable images. I also hope to learn how collaboration between conservationists, local communities, and Wikimedia contributors can enhance accuracy and accessibility of information related to Indian flora and fauna. The project will help evaluate whether open-access visuals and content truly support researchers, students, and conservation planners in their work. Learning questions include: How can digital tools and field engagement complement each other in biodiversity education? What strategies effectively build long-term contributor networks for Wikimedia? And how can visual storytelling inspire conservation action? The data gathered from this project will guide future Wikimedia biodiversity initiatives and strengthen open-access conservation documentation in India.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 10 | |
| Number of editors | 3 | |
| Number of organizers | 1 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | 1000 |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
N/A
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
No
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
To measure each metric effectively, I will use a combination of Wikimedia analytics tools, field documentation records, and community feedback methods. The Wikimedia Outreach Dashboard and Commons upload statistics will help track the number of media uploads, contributors, and engagement levels. Survey forms and feedback questionnaires will be shared with participants to assess learning outcomes, awareness impact, and satisfaction with training or field sessions. Social media analytics and communication tools will monitor outreach success and community reach. Additionally, I may seek technical guidance from the Wikimedia Foundation’s Learning & Evaluation team to apply appropriate measurement tools for participation tracking and content quality assessment. This blended approach of digital analytics, participant feedback, and on-ground documentation will ensure accurate and transparent evaluation of project progress and impact.
Budget
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in Indian Rupees. (required)
430000 INR
- 22.1. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD. (required)
4852.79 USD
- By submitting this proposal request you agree with the Institutional Partner Privacy Policy, Application Privacy Statements, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
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