For thousands of years the west coast of North America, also known as Illahee Chuk, or 'where land meets water' in local Indigenous languages, was home to native communities living for many generations in regions of high biodiversity and environmental wealth. However, many of these systems are now being degraded in ecological integrity - reducing supply of 'natures benefits to people,' also known as 'natural capital' and 'ecosystem services'.

As environmental changes affect the distribution and scale of costs, risks and opportunities facing such communities, there is a need for cohesive information systems. Many projects - citizens, businesses and natural area project managers - already collaborate with each other using social media platforms. However, these have poor alignment with needs, or even contribute to polarization and controversy. Such challenges raise barriers to progress.

From local to regional, national to global scales, there is awareness of the potential of innovation. Local entrepreneurs and environmental projects understand the need for more resilient and productive systems that are supported by landscape-wide cooperation and long-term development. In order to enable such opportunities, there is need for information systems to inform constructive dialogue, and which ensure a 'safe space' for participatory engagement in decision-making.

By combining information across various environmental, social and economic factors on landscapes using a modular approach, the OLN will give members of this project easier access to tools and services to cooperate and realize ambitions. The infrastructure is expected to be a much-needed 'hub' for community decision-makers and stakeholders to engage in productive and informed discussion.

Even in a pilot stage, a new level of involvement and cooperation has been observed, with increased community ambition and confidence in shared goals. Examples of needs communicated by project stakeholders include cooperative flood control, reduction of landslide risk, and air quality/fire management. Community members gain access to relevant, timely information, with a system specifically designed to support impact and scaling-up of their efforts, with further investments to allow a larger operating area + number of participants.