After wrapping up another great week, we're excited to hear from people about future needs for map annotating, view the entries coming in for Spectral Challenge and read about mapping projects in Brazil, Nicaragua and Panama. Enjoy!

Map annotation survey. Public Lab has been building the ability to annotate maps into MapKnitter.org. Currently, you are able to embed a photo or video, add points and create closed and colored shapes. As we further develop the functionality, we'd appreciate your feedback on ways that you would use annotations in your work. You can fill out the seven question survey by visiting the Public Lab website.

Grassroots Mapping Forum Issue Three: Organizing. The new issue of the Grassroots Mapping Forum is hot off the press! Read an article from Hagit Keysar on Grassroots Mapping Jerusalem, an interview with Cindy Regalado of the University College London ExCiteS program and check out a full color map of Occupy UC-Davis.

Spectral Challenge. The Spectral Challenge is close to a month from the end of Stage 1. Read more about entering and supporting to get involved.

Wired UK feature on balloon mapping. A quick article on Public Lab aerial mapping from the print March 2013 issue of Wired UK. For more detailed instructions, check out the aerial mapping page that includes a material list, tutorials and a pre and post flight checklist.

Youth led digital mapping in Brazil. Check out the new note on an event to train sixty people to work with youth to identify sites of environmental risk in their communities and map them with new technologies, including Public Lab aerial mapping.

Boulder staff meeting. Public Lab staff completed the annual Spring meeting this past week in Boulder, Colorado. Time was spent discussing the new website, upcoming near-infrared Kickstarter and barn raisings during 2013. We're looking forward to sharing plans and incorporating suggestions from the community in the near future.

Research notes Bean cam (posted by cfastie) Determination of Cadmium and Lead extracted from ceramic foodwares (posted by dan.beavers) Merrimack River entrance jetty repair (posted by wward1400) Kite mapping in Central America-- waste and recycling (posted by eblaine) Exxon Pipeline Mayflower Arkansas oil spill (posted by dan.beavers) Sanm LeafKam (posted by cfastie)

As always, if anything was missed, email the list, post a research note or message shannon@publiclaboratory.org for inclusion in the newsletter next week. Have a great week everyone, Shannon