Get Started: EcosystemCommons.org User Guide
This guide is under development and will evolve as new features are availabe on EcosystemCommons.org
Become a member – Most of the content and discussions on the Commons are open for viewing by the public. However, to participate in community, one must join as a member and be logged in. To become a member all you need to do is fill out the Join Our Community form which you can find on the “Home” page.
Reset my password – Once you have become a member you will need to reset your password to something you can remember. To do this select "My Profile" from the "My Stuff" menu. Under your picture you will see a link to edit your profile, click it. Once in the editing window you can select the "Password" tab. You will be prompted to type in your preferred password and confirm it. Make sure to hit the "Change" button to complete the process.
Update my user profile – Your user profile includes all the information that introduces you to the Ecosystem Services Community of Practice. It allows people to easily find you based on your professional interest and expertise. To update your user profile select "My Profile" from the "My Stuff" menu. Under your picture you will see a link to edit your profile, click it. Once in the editing window you can use the tabs to change your account details, password, organization, and personal information. Please include a photo of yourself so your colleagues can recognize you!
Join groups – There are several groups on the Commons organized around a topical interests, or a region. All members are automatically part of “Our Community” the primary group on the Commons. If would like to communicate in a more focused way check to see if there are any groups that align with your interests. If you would like to start a new group, see below. To find groups select “Groups” under the “Community” Menu. To join a group, click the join button or request membership.
Find Ecosystem Services References – The Commons hosts and provides links to a limited number of ecosystem services related reference documents, tools, databases. As the Commons evolves we will include additional references that meet our criteria; however it is not the intention of the Commons to host an ecosystem services clearinghouse. To find references, tools and databases go to the References menu and select the type of reference you are looking for. If you know of references that you believe we should add to our list please contact us.
Post a Document – If you would like to share a document that does not already appear on the Commons you can upload it by selecting “Documents” under the “Community” menu, then click on the "Create" button near the upper right corner of the page. You will need to fill out the form which includes fields for a document title and a brief description or teaser.
Participate in Discussions – Much of the content on the Commons is posted in order to facilitate conversations among the community of practice. All members are encouraged to participate in discussion and make comments.
Add your Ecosystem Services project or program to the Catalog – The Catalog your place to share information about the ecosystem services projects and programs you work on, and find out what others are doing. Anyone can view and search the Catalog, but you must be logged in as a member to add a new project. To add your project or program into the Catalog you will need to fill out a form that includes a title and brief and several pieces of supporting information so that others may find your work. You can access the form by selecting "Upload Your Own" from the "Catalog" menu. Fill out as many fields as possible. The bottom of the form provides the option to upload an associated document. Remember to save.
Add an Event to the Calendar – The Commons hosts a calendar of ecosystem services related events. All members can add events to the calendar. To view the calendar, select “Calendar” under the “Community” menu. From there you click on the "Create“ button near the upper right corner of the page. You will need to fill out the event details in the form provided. Make sure to save your event at the bottom of the form.
Customize your Dashboard – All members of the Commons have a customizable Dashboard. You can find your dashboard by selecting “My Stuff” from the main menu bar. The Dashboard includes several default boxes of information called widgets. You can turn widgets off or on by clicking on the “Toggle Items” button in the upper right of your screen. Alternatively you can collapse, expand, or close each widget using the options of the upper right of individual widgets. Don’t forget to save your changes to keep your customizations for every time you log in.