[Talk-ca] Determining The Identity Of Features

[Richard Weait]

On Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 3:36 PM, Chris Bruce
<chris at mirrorcomputing.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi there,
[ ... ]
> I'm in Canada for a while and thought I'd map some trails while I'm here per
> your WikiProject Canada page. I'm hiking in Provincial Parks and National
> Parks in BC at the moment. I guess there will also be Regional Parks. At the
> trailhead there are generally maps naming the trails and features. Having
> hiked and tracklogged the trail am I permitted to "name" the trail or
> feature in OSM from the information found at the trailheads? (Or do I ask
> somebody who looks at the sign at the trailhead and then tells me?!!!?)
>
> Also I'm aware that NRCan has released a huge amount of data for use. Can I
> similarly "name" features from information obtained from those sources, e.g.
> the Topo tiffs?
>
> The reason I ask here is that I know that you guys (authorities!) seem
> somewhat open about copyright licensing and the uses to which official
> cartographic data is put and some guidelines for me would be great.
>
> Thanks for your time...

The Canadian OSM community is every bit as careful to only derive from
permitted sources as the OSM community as a whole.  Fortunately,
Natural Resources Canada, see the benefit of OSM and allow us explicit
permission to use their CanVec, GeoBase and GeoGratis data sets.
Please check the catalogue for details, links etc.

I see trailside _signposts_ as a permitted source as street signs are.
 I see trailside _maps_ as a not permitted source; similar to gas
station road maps.  A trailside map is likely to be a creative work in
it's own right.  The trails on the map may well be subject to artistic
simplifications, and lack a scale or projection so even if permitted,
derivation would be risky.

Enjoy your visit to Canada.  Be sure to contact local groups as you
travel around.

Best regards,
Richard

http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Import/Catalogue