Can We Map What Really Matters to Communities? | The Public Map

What if we could map not only where things are — but what communities actually value? In this GreenWales Grassroots episode, Gareth Williams meets Professor Flora Samuel, who leads The Public Map, a project exploring how data, community knowledge and people's lived experiences can help Wales understand its places and plan for their future. The project brings together published data with information created by communities about what they feel, think and care about, helping explore progress towards the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act. Recorded at the Urdd Eisteddfod, the conversation explores community mapping, young people's voices, Welsh language and culture, creative engagement, food resilience, housing, collaboration and the wellbeing economy. We discuss: How mapping can help measure change over time Why community knowledge matters alongside traditional data Training young people as community mappers Reducing duplication and connecting organisations Why arts and culture matter to community engagement The challenge of short-term funding Skills, volunteering and opportunities for young people Welsh language, culture and connection to place What Wales can learn from historic knowledge Rebuilding Welsh horticulture and food resilience Children's assemblies and giving young people a voice Housing and the wellbeing economy The Well-being of Future Generations Act in practice One idea sits at the heart of the conversation: If we're going to build better places, we need to understand what actually matters to the people who live there. 🌿 GreenWales showcases the people, organisations and communities building a more sustainable Wales. #GreenWales #FutureGenerations #CommunityMapping #Wales #Sustainability 00:00 Map What Matters 00:39 Welcome to GreenWales 00:58 Meet Professor Flora Samuel 01:07 What Is The Public Map? 02:47 Building a More Sustainable Wales 03:19 Mapping the Future Generations Act 03:39 Training Young Community Mappers 03:52 Why Collaboration Matters 05:41 Putting Community Knowledge on the Map 05:53 The Challenge of Short-Term Funding 06:43 Why Creativity Matters in Sustainability 07:14 Creating Opportunities for Young People 08:42 Can One Connection Change a Life? 09:27 What Gives Flora Hope? 10:00 Connecting Young People With Nature 12:00 Welsh Language, Culture & Sustainability 13:00 What Place Names Can Teach Us 13:22 Rebuilding Welsh Food Resilience 14:02 Housing & the Wellbeing Economy 15:29 Why Small Changes Matter 16:58 Where Should GreenWales Visit Next? 17:44 Joining the GreenWales Collective Real sustainability in action across Wales — on the ground with the people making it happen. New episodes every week | Stories, solutions, and real impact GreenWales features real sustainability in action — across communities, business, land and culture. Through interviews and site visits, we share practical environmental and social change stories from Wales and beyond. What you’ll see on this channel: • sustainable SMEs and organisations • community climate action • circular economy and reuse projects • biodiversity and land initiatives • education and youth sustainability Partnerships & features: contact via channel details.