Our OpenStreetMap interview series continues, this time we again learn about a regional OpenStreetMap community.
It was my pleasure to speak with Thibaut Maïto, an active member of the community in Lyon, France, a group that s very active on mastodon as @osm_lyon, which is how we came into contact.
1. Who are you and what do you do? What got you into OpenStreetMap?
Hi, I’m Thibaut MAÏTO, alias Thibtib51 on OpenStreetMap. I’m an electronic technician, and I discovered OSM during an electronic job involving geospatial equipment (working for one of the bigger instrument builder with a T in the trademark) in 2018. So I came to the project a bit later than others. In the beginning I used OSM data on the data collectors of the geospatial’s equipment. The detail was great, and I learned of this “map” around me and saw the power of details in comparison with another map (starts by G).
After a while I started to improve the map around me, for a lot of topics: road, building, amenity, landuse … And then I discovered the community of this project, in France with OSM-FR association and the local group in Lyon (and foundation too). Ever since I have continued to contribute, but now I also promote OpenStreetMap in severals meetings and events. I’m also in a partnership working group into OSM-FR, SotM-France organization working group too, and I launched a local group in my town.
2. What would you say is the current state of OSM and the OSM community in Lyon?
In my opinion, OSM is currently in a state of sustainability. The foundation has a well-oiled organization, projects are progressing well, and above all, the data and community are at their best. However, this state of sustainability is either a barrier to expansion or a state that we may fear losing. As for the local group in Lyon, a city with comprehensive data, where even the city and its suburbs are very open with public data, there is sustainability. However, the city is changing (commerce, roads, infrastructure, etc.) and there are very few young contributors (in terms of age) working in the local group.
3. What are the unique challenges and pleasures of OpenStreetMap in Lyon? What things should the rest of the world be aware of?
Excellent question. The local group in Lyon is strong, with a handful of regulars who keep the Tuesday meetings going and organize local events.
First of all, the meetings on the third Tuesday of the month bring together around ten people, including regulars, newcomers, and those curious about OSM. We meet at Tubà in the heart of Lyon. In addition to the strength of having a physical anchor point, our meetings are open to everyone online in a hybrid format. This allows me and a few other contributors who live outside the city or are unable to attend in person to follow the life of the local group.
We have at least four major events per year, including the Primevère trade show , which allows us to promote OpenStreetMap to the general public, showcasing a wide variety of applications that use our map data. We also have the JDLL , a public event focused on free software and digital commons. There is also the RPLL, a meeting of free software professionals. And the Campus du libre, organized by Lyon’s universities for their students and anyone else who is interested.
In 2024 we hosted the national meeting of the French OpenStreetMap association, State of the Map France. We also respond to requests from media libraries, collectives, etc. And we offer training workshops.
4. What is the best way to get involved? Is there a regular meet-up? A mailing list? Where does the community meet (in person and online)?
There are several ways to get involved in the Lyon local group, the most important being our monthly meeting on the third Tuesday of each month in Tubà. These are hybrid meetings, held both in person and online. We also have a French-language forum hosted by the French OpenStreetMap association. And we participate in various events.
5. What steps could the global OpenStreetMap community take to help support OSM in communities like Lyon?
We are at the bottom of the pyramid; the Lyon community is supported by the French OpenStreetMap association, both humanly and financially. I think the foundation should help local chapters, which will then support local communities. In France, we have 30 local groups, including the one I am starting with a group of enthusiasts in Vienne.
6. Last year OpenStreetMap celebrated its 20th birthday, it is a natural time to reflect how far the project has come, but also a time to look forward. Where do you think the project will be in another 20 years, both globally and in France specifically?
I am really “new” to this project, but I have read up on the history of OpenStreetMap. It started with a group of enthusiasts, who were very quickly joined by thousands, even millions of other people. When you look at the OSM statistics, the number of users has plateaued, but contributions have not. The richest countries on the planet are well mapped, unlike poorer countries. These first 20 years have been a launch pad and a foundation for sustainability. Now we need to focus on rich countries to maintain the data and bring in players such as professionals and local authorities.
For the next 20 years, efforts must be focused on areas with little coverage, which unfortunately means poor countries. Fortunately, NGOs, collectives, and local contributors are there for these areas, which are often hit by climate change and the increasingly violent problems it causes. It is up to us in rich countries, as well as the OSM Foundation, to focus on this issue. In France, too, we need to connect our contributors more closely with humanitarian NGOs to advance this technology and focus it on people and mutual aid.
Thank you, Thibaut - for your update, but also for the efforts to grow and strengthen the community in Lyon, France, and elsewhere. You are right, in many Europen regions the initial work of mapping has been done, we need to find ways to generate the excitement around sustaining and maintaining.
Keep up the good work in and around Lyon. I encourage anyone in the area to get involved. I had the chance to visit Lyon for the first time in August, and it is a wonderful city. Anyone who would like to learn more should check out the Lyon entry on the OpenStreetMap wiki.
Happy mapping (whether in Lyon or elsewhere),
Please let us know if your community would like to be part of our interview series here on our blog. If you are or know of someone we should interview, please get in touch, we’re always looking to promote people doing interesting things with open geo data.