stevemcbill wrote:The Google Map also shows another layer called "Mapnik" which looks like it could be a useful addition to various mapping facilities !!! I've not come across this layer before. Is it a standard Google Map layer - it seems to sit half way between the original map layer and the satellite layer.
Don't use Recorder 6 to map out my species records, but I thought I'd offer some info.
The Mapnik layer is not part of Google. Its from the OpenStreetMap, which aims to provides mapping data for free and without restrictions. The map is created by anyone who wants to help by using a kind of wiki system. You can edit by tracing over satellite imagery, uploading raw data, etc.
http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Main_Page
Still a work in progress, but in locations where there are active "mappers" the results are far better than google, and maps or raw data is available with hardly any limitations.
Mapnik is just one example map made with the data held by the project. It's possible to use the raw data to create any type of map. Many examples on this page [link]
I use a piece of software called Maperative [link] to clean up the raw data and using gis software create my distribution own maps.
It's not much of an argument to suggest that in the future we'll regularly see OpenStreetMap used as a basemap for species distribution, especially as it's available for free.