# How the Foundation works (plain language)

## The problem

Australian landscape architecture is spread across private studios, universities, councils, and environmental groups. Everyone uses different software, filenames, and plant lists. Collaboration and national advocacy are harder than they need to be.

## The Foundation answer

A **foundation** is a neutral steward — not a single company and not a government department. Participating organisations keep their independence. They agree on one thing: **a shared, open way to describe projects and plants in digital files**.

That shared way is the **metadata schema**: a public dictionary of field names and meanings (project location, species, soil band, fire response, Connection to Country sensitivity, carbon disclosure, etc.).

## What you actually do

1. **Export** a project metadata file (JSON bundle) from your tool or spreadsheet template.
2. **Validate** it against the open standard (free CLI or web checker on the schema portal).
3. **Optional:** upload open assets to a Foundation registry (future) or attach a **Foundation Approved** badge to your project submission.

You do **not** have to use Landscape Archive to use the schema.

## What Landscape Archive does

Landscape Archive is a **founding implementation partner**:

- Maps Foundation schema fields to Revit `sourceData` and the Library
- Sells **subscriptions**, **Revit families**, **shop packs**, and **certification** — commercial layers on top of open metadata
- Can export standard bundles from entitled projects so practices meet badge criteria while still buying BIM geometry from the shop

## Connection to Country

Cultural metadata uses a **sensitivity class**:

- **open** — safe summary may appear in public Foundation files
- **restricted** — only a pointer is public; detail stays on the organisation's secure systems
- **not-for-publication** — the index knows engagement occurred but stores no cultural content

This is governance + schema together; the Foundation council must approve badge rules involving cultural fields.

## Separate domain

The schema portal is hosted independently from `landscapearchive.com.au`, which remains the commercial product site. Target canonical host: **`schema.landscapefoundation.org.au`**.