How do I add my places to the map?

This page provides a step-by-step guide to adding your favourite places to the map – it’s easier than you might think!

STEP 1: the first thing you must do is set up an account on the website.

This will provide you with a username and password, which allows you to log-in and start adding your favourite places. Setting up an account is quick, easy and free of charge – all you have to do is:

• Click on the link named ‘Register’ at the top of any page.
• Type in your username – this can be anything you like.
• Type in your email address – an email will then be sent to this address with details of how to log in.
• Open the email and follow the log in instructions – make sure you change your password the first time you log in (click ‘edit’ to change your password).
• Make a note of your username and new password, so that you can log in to the website whenever you like in future.

STEP 2: once you are logged in, you can then start adding places to the map.

To do this, click on the link named ‘Add a place to the map’. This will take you to a new page showing a map of the West Midlands. You can zoom in/out and move around the map by using the controls on the left-hand side (you can also move around the map by clicking on it and dragging it with your mouse).

To add a place to the map, simply click on the map and a red marker will appear, showing the location you have clicked on. You can move this marker by clicking on it and dragging it across the map.

Once you are happy with where your red marker is positioned, scroll down the page and fill in some information about the place you are adding. You might like to add information on some or all of the following:

• Title: the name of the place you are adding (this could be a ‘nickname’ or how the place is known locally).
• Keywords: a few words that describe the place you are adding – these can be anything you like, for example: wildlife, history, scenery, tranquil, memories and so on. These keywords will help to link your special places to other places that people value for similar reasons. Please make sure you separate each keyword using a comma.
• I love this place because… here you can add a brief written description of why this place is special to you.
• Picture: use this link to upload a picture of the place you are adding to the map.
• Video / Sounds: use these links to upload a video or sound file of the place you are adding to the map.

STEP 3: when you are finished, click on the ‘save’ button at the bottom of the page

This will save your information and forward it on to the Heart of Landscape team for checking before it is added to the map. New places are normally checked and approved quickly and no later than 3 working days of being submitted.

You can return to the website at any time and add more places by repeating steps 2 and 3 – there’s no limit to the number of places you can add, so feel free to add as many as you like!