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Evidence-Based Forest News

Draft Interview

How Open Environmental Data Can Drive Real Change

What if environmental data—the information that shapes critical decisions about our planet—were truly accessible, equitable, and actionable? 

The Open Environmental Data Project (OEDP) is transforming the way environmental data is governed and shared. By tackling systemic barriers such as fragmented reporting systems, outdated policies, and inaccessible formats, OEDP advocates for systems and practices that enable critical data to serve the public interest.

Their work focuses on integrating community-driven data into governance, fostering transparency, and modernizing data-sharing practices across public agencies. Through these efforts, OEDP hopes to empower communities and decision-makers to use information as a tool for creating equitable and impactful environmental solutions.

We talked to Katie Hoeberling about her journey to OEDP, her background in carbon accounting, and the innovative work her team is doing to make environmental data more accessible, equitable, and actionable.

We chatted with Katie.

Katie’s Journey: From Carbon Accounting to Open Data

Katie’s path to open data advocacy started in carbon accounting during her time at UC Davis. She worked with the U.S. Forest Service on protocols for urban forest management as part of carbon markets. The goal was to develop standards to help urban forests contribute to carbon sequestration.

However, Katie quickly discovered that creating protocols was far easier than getting buy-in. Many organizations found the process impractical or too costly, despite of the obvious benefits.

This experience shaped her belief that accessibility and trust are essential for driving meaningful change. At OEDP, Katie focuses on fostering trust and collaboration, advocating for data systems that empower communities to make informed decisions and address environmental challenges effectively.

Institutional Resistance

One key challenge Katie highlighted is the "just trust me" mentality often found in institutions—whether government agencies, nonprofits, or corporations—when it comes to environmental data. Even when data critical to public interest exists, it’s frequently:

  • Scattered across PDFs or outdated systems.
  • Inaccessible to the public.
  • Too costly to consolidate and share.

This fragmented approach limits the public’s ability to engage with data and makes it harder for institutions to demonstrate accountability. 

“There’s an appetite for sharing data in better ways, but just not the capacity,” Katie explained.

She pointed out that many agencies are in the midst of modernization processes, but outdated procurement policies and limited resources can stall progress.

OEDP addresses these challenges through projects like the Beyond Compliance Network, which works with U.S. public agencies to:

  • Update data-sharing practices and reporting policies.
  • Integrate community-generated information into governance.

Katie emphasized that improving transparency goes beyond technical fixes—it’s about ensuring people can engage with and trust the data.

Drawing Parallels: Reforestation and Public Appetite for Open Data

Katie’s insights resonated with our own experiences in reforestation. For years, we’ve contributed to tree-planting projects, yet accessing data about this work—like where trees are planted or how funding is used—has been nearly impossible (we'll have more for you on that later).

It is our view that without accessible data, it’s challenging to evaluate the success of such initiatives or ensure accountability. But so far, there has been no great public outcry for reforestation data. The very term "data" often seemingly makes people's eyes glaze over, and isn't really a mainstream part of global conversations on restoration. Katie seems to understand this challenge in popualrizing discourse on environmental data in her own work:

“We talk about data infrastructure quite a bit... it's hard to get people to care about it. Ideally, if it's working well, you can't see it at all unless you're really getting into the data yourself. But that's kind of how we think about infrastructure—well-built and well-designed infrastructure should not be super visible probably. So that inherently makes it difficult for people to care about.”​

Perhaps reframing “data” as relatable information tied to people’s lives—such as where trees are planted, air quality levels, or flooding risks—makes these issues more tangible. When data is accessible, it becomes a tool for communities to track progress, hold institutions accountable, and work collaboratively toward solutions.

Regardless of public appetite for data (or lackthereof) OEDP's work makes it pretty clear that open data can drive transparency and ethical decision-making in diverse environmental challenges. While the broader reforestation industry has yet to fully embrace these principles, the potential for progress is clear..

Why Do We CARE About Data

Katie also introduced the idea of a spectrum of openness—a critical nuance in open data conversations. Not all data can or should be fully public. Sensitive information, such as Indigenous knowledge or localized community data, requires thoughtful handling to prevent misuse.

OEDP advocates for frameworks like the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance, which emphasize:

  • Collective Benefit
  • Authority to Control
  • Responsibility
  • Ethics

True openness, Katie explained, isn’t about “dumping data” into public portals. It’s about creating a responsible, trustworthy ecosystem where data is shared and used in ways that respect communities and serve the public good. Open data is not always good or bad - it's neutral, and ensuring that consideration is given to how it's shared is a crucial part of this conversation.

Open Hardware is one of OEDP's key projects.

A Path Forward 

The OEDP’s work send a powerful message: open data drives trust, accountability, and action. By advocating for ethical and accessible data practices, OEDP demonstrates how transparency can empower communities and institutions to tackle complex environmental challenges and create measurable progress.

Their work reminds us that change doesn’t happen overnight—but it leads up to the clear need for accessible and equitable information. If we want a greener, more just future, one of the msot important stepsis going to be opening the data—and being mindful of doing it the right way.