From Collections to Commons: Announcing a Wikimedian in Residence at Manaaki Whenua

Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Group now have a Wikimedian in Residence on board, who’ll be working to make their nationally significant biological collections more accessible on platforms such as Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. Supported by Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand, the organisation has welcomed Siobhan Leachman as its Wikimedian in Residence.

Siobhan is a prolific editor on Wikimedia platforms and was named Wikimedia Laureate in 2023. Based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, she brings deep expertise in open knowledge, metadata, and digital content creation. Over the next year, Siobhan will be working part-time with Manaaki Whenua to help staff engage with the Wikimedia ecosystem, embedding sustainable practices that will extend the reach and impact of the institution’s research data.

Manaaki Whenua holds five significant biological collections, rich in endemic species of plants, animals, and fungi. These collections are a critical tool for furthering the understanding and protection of Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique biodiversity. By connecting this knowledge with Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata, Manaaki Whenua can increase the visibility and accessibility of its collections.

Wikimedia platforms offer a global stage where researchers, educators, students, and the public can discover, reuse, and build upon open biodiversity information. The project aims to ensure that images, data, and expertise from Manaaki Whenua reach far beyond traditional academic publications.

Siobhan will be working alongside project lead Dr Leanne Elder, and Dr Nick Kirk, to ensure the institution’s contributions to Wikimedia are not just one-off projects but part of an ongoing, sustainable approach through:

• Developing a strategy for Manaaki Whenua engagement with Wikimedia platforms.
• Developing long-term workflows by identifying ways to integrate Wiki content creation into the process of mobilising specimen data.
• Engaging with and educating MWLR group staff to provide targeted training on the Wikimedia ecosystem, the impact of data reuse, and Wikimedia’s outreach potential.
• Organising and facilitating uploads of appropriate MWLR sourced data into Wikidata, and openly licensed images and documents in Wikimedia Commons.

The goal of this project is to increase the visibility and accessibility of valuable biodiversity content, leading to further use of the information in research and education. This information is crucial for research, conservation, and sustainable land management. The hope is by making it more accessible this will help safeguard Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique ecosystems and support the development of modern biodiversity tools.

Image: Male specimen of Ichneutica ceraunias photographed by Birgit E. Rhode, Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd., CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Siobhan Leachman photographed by Mike Dickison, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.