Wikimedia CH/Grant apply/Archivio Dapples (1904)

Infodata

• Name of the project: Archivio Dapples (1904)
• Amount requested: 20'000 CHF
• Type of grantee: Group/organization
• Name of the contact: Claudio Bozzini
• Contact: claudio.bozzinigmail.com

In case of questions, please write to grantwikimedia.ch

The problem and the context

What is the problem you're trying to solve?

The Dapples family has been a prominent family from the canton of Vaud since the 15th century. A branch of the family later moved to Genoa and eventually settled in Tuscany, where they played a significant role in the history of Mugello, particularly in Grezzano, through innovative agricultural practices and ambitious reforestation projects. Unfortunately, the forests planted by the Dapples family were destroyed during World War II, as the area was part of the Gothic Line. Following the catastrophic 1966 flood in Florence, the Swiss-Italian relationship was further solidified with the creation of the Bosco degli Svizzeri ("Swiss Forest"), a reforestation project designed to combat geological instability and exemplify sustainable land management practices.

Currently, the rich photographic and documentary heritage of the Dapples family remains accessible only in physical form, posing risks to its preservation and limiting its availability to the public. By creating a digital archive, this valuable historical record can be safeguarded and made widely accessible, enhancing our understanding of the Swiss contribution to Italy’s environmental management and land restoration efforts.

Project goals

The project aims to digitize and upload the Dapples family’s photographic and documentary archive to Wikimedia Commons, making it freely accessible to the public, preserved in digital format, and finally reconstructed after its complex history. This archive was originally held by a Swiss consul in Tuscany and was later partially transferred to the Museo della Civiltà Contadina di Casa d'Erci, with some materials likely relocated to Switzerland.

This first phase will also serve as a preparatory stage for the upcoming Archivio Wirz project (late 2025), which will document Switzerland’s involvement in the creation of the Bosco degli Svizzeri ("Swiss Forest") in the Mugello area, a forest planted as a response to the 1966 Florence flood to combat geological instability.

To facilitate the organization and description of the material, artificial intelligence (AI) tools will be used to ensure precise cataloging and automatic generation of image descriptions, thereby enriching the Wikipedia content on these topics.

1. Discover, digitize and upload the historical photographs of the Dapples family on Wikimedia Commons, enhancing information about the historical context of Mugello and the Swiss-Italian forestry relationship.
2. Enrich Wikipedia pages related to agricultural history and land management, fostering a deeper understanding of land management and geological risk prevention.
3. Use artificial intelligence to draft descriptions of photos and content, optimizing the cataloging work.

Project impact

How will you know if you have met your goals?

This project will help preserve and promote the environmental history of Mugello and the legacy of the Dapples family, creating a digital resource useful for researchers, historians, and citizens interested in land management. Using AI to describe and categorize photographic materials will streamline the digitization process and improve the quality of published content.

Do you have any goals or metrics around participation or content?

Objectives and metrics:

• Complete the upload of at least 500 historical images to Wikimedia Commons by 2025.
• Create or update at least five Wikipedia pages dedicated to the Dapples family.
• Assess AI effectiveness in generating descriptions, with the goal of accurately describing at least 80% of the images.

Project plan

Activities

• Digitize the Dapples archive (2024-2025).
• Use AI to create detailed descriptions for images uploaded to Wikimedia Commons (2025).
• Collaborate with partners (ETH Zurich, National Library, etc.) and participate in the 2026 photo exhibition on the Swiss Forest in Grezzano.

Budget

• Reconstruction of sources and documents: 6,000 CHF
  • Collection and verification of historical sources related to the Dapples family, and associated materials.
  • Reconstruction of historical documents and organization of content for the digital archive.
  • Mapping of existing material in WIkimedia projects.

• Image digitization: 6,000 CHF
  • Scanning and digital restoration of historical photographs and documents.
  • Preparation of images for uploading to Wikimedia Commons, ensuring quality suitable for public viewing.

• Image description and uploading to Wikimedia Commons: 4,000 CHF
  • Use of AI tools to create detailed descriptions of photographs.
  • Upload of digitized content to Wikimedia Commons, with necessary categorization and captions.

• Project management and administrative expenses: 3,500 CHF
  • Project coordination, management of collaborators, and partner relations.
  • General administrative expenses related to project activities.

• Community engagement: 500 CHF
  • Organization of events and workshops to present the project to the community and promote participation on Wikimedia.
  • Collaborations with cultural organizations to raise public awareness of the historical significance of the Bosco degli Svizzeri and the Dapples family.

Community engagement

We will involve the community through:

• Open workshops to raise awareness of the project and promote participation on Wikimedia.
• Events with cultural institutions and museums to educate the public on the significance of the Bosco degli Svizzeri and land management.
• Regular updates on the project's progress on digital platforms to maintain community engagement.

Wikimedia CH response

The project was presented in presence in several meetings and looks interesting as historical case of environment engineering.

We are pleased to approve the grant request under the Innovation programme of Wikimedia CH for a total of 20,000 CHF.

The project can begin already in 2024, with an initial payment of 10,000 CHF. The remaining balance will be provided halfway through the project, after submission of the mid-term report.

Once the project is completed, a final report will be required for inclusion in Wikimedia CH's reports and newsletters.