Botanists in the Wikiverse: Why thematic engagement matters
Speakers
I was recently employed part time as a Wikimedian in Residence for the Maanaki Whenua - Landcare Research group of the New Zealand Bioeconomy Science Institute. I also volunteer with the Biodiversity Heritage Library. I co-organise the regular Aotearoa New Zealand Online meet up as well as the Wellington Wiki meetup. I write and enrich English Wikipedia articles, upload images and add structured data to Wikimedia Commons and am a prolific editor of Wikidata.
While undertaking my Wiki work I continue to volunteer for a plethora of GLAM, digital humanities and citizen science projects. I am currently obsessed with editing and collaborating on multiple Wikimedia projects on topics such as biodiversity data, citation data, New Zealand endemic moths, women scientific illustrators, natural history contributors, research expeditions, name authority data, iNaturalist images, scientific publications and artworks. I am also involved in various Wiki outreach initiatives, many of which are in some way related to biodiversity knowledge. In 2023 I was named Wikimedia Laureate.
Abstract
Using the example of our ongoing outreach to the wider botanical community, co-authors Siobhan Leachman and Heidi Meudt will outline how and why to collaborate with subject experts to educate and upskill them in Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata at local, regional and international levels. We undertake this work in formal settings, by running biodiversity-related editathons and by participating in key scientific conferences. At botanical conferences, we have created programmes of outreach including workshops, webinars, and conference presentations. We also “Wikify” conferences by improving the coverage of botanists in Wikidata. This work creates awareness in scientific communities about how and why Wiki is important to them and their institutions, and empowers them to use Wiki to improve the visibility and accessibility of botanical data, research, archives and collections.
For further information see our WikiProject https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:GLAM/Botany_community_outreach and our recent diff blog https://diff.wikimedia.org/2026/02/11/wiki-for-botanists-why-thematic-engagement-matters/
Google slides link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1DltsUn8S8oeM3uV_M8aN0jURbwiN0Swfn5lygfz5Ts0/edit?usp=sharing
Zenodo link to slides and script: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21385342
Slides in Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wikimania_5min_Botanist_lightning_talk_slides.pdf
English script in Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wikimania_5min_Botanist_lightning_talk_script.pdf
Additional information
This session promotes FREEDOM by sharing thematic information, resources and tools with the botanical community giving others the skills, resources and tips they need to contribute to free knowledge. This session promotes EQUITY as much of the thematic outreach undertaken encourages contributions by and about under represented people and places, as the biodiversity found in under represented areas including the Global South. This session shows how thematic communities can be encouraged to improve the RELIABILITY and richness of knowledge in the Wikiverse by contributing their expertise.
Any Wiki editor interested in engaging with thematic communities on a local, regional or international level will find our content useful. We will be very efficient in summarising our thematic Wiki outreach with the botanical community in a 5 minute lightning talk! In order to be able to thoroughly discuss this topic, our original intent was actually to apply for a 60 minute moderated panel discussion with other Wikipedians who undertake biodiversity thematic outreach and editing. However we feel that a panel discussion would only be possible if one or both of us, and those we hope to include on our panel, are able to attend in person. Given the uncertainty of whether either of us (User:Ambrosia10 and User:Stitchbird2) will attend Wikimania - as of 26 Feb 2026 we are still on the scholarship wait list, as are others we hoped to be on the panel (e.g. User:S.v.Mering) - we have instead pivoted to applying for a lightning talk here.
Everyone can participate in this session