Environmental GIS

1. Environmental GIS Nicholas A. Procopio, Ph.D, GISP nick@drexel.edu

2. What is a GIS? • “…a computer system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, and displaying geographically referenced information…” • “A smart map. A combination of a graphic display and a database. The map and the database are intimately linked so when you click on the map, the information about that point is highlighted on the screen.” • “A system of hardware, software, and procedures designed to support, capture, manage, manipulate, analyze, model, and display spatially referenced data for solving complex planning and management problems.”

3. Information System • An information system is established to achieve the objectives of collecting, storing, analyzing, and presenting information in a systematic manner • The term geographic, which implies a spatial component to the system, are also characterized with two additional crucial properties • The reference to geographic space, which means the data are registered to a geographical coordinate system • The representation at geographic scale, which means the data are normally recorded at small scales and may be generalized and symbolized.

5. GIS Concepts • Represent the real world by processing data and applying it in map form • Allows geographic features in real world locations to be digitally represented so they can be presented in map form and manipulated to address some problem

6. GIS Concepts • A GIS stores the locations of geographic features as geometric entities • The geographic features (geometric entities) are linked to a database • Information about various entities can be obtained by selecting them or various analyses can be run on the entities

7. GIS Concepts • A GIS allows a user to overlay a series of layers, each of which represents some real-world feature, to digitally view any given area.

8. GIS Concepts

9. Why GIS? • Space is a limited and interrelated commodity • Information can be easily shared between different groups • Complex information can be presented in a variety of formats that are easily read by an audience • Return investment on data; data can be applied for other purposes • Improved decision making

10. Thinking About Geography • “Almost everything that happens, happens somewhere. Knowing where something happens is critically important” – Paul A. Longley • Almost all human activities and decisions involve a geographic component • Many are not aware of the importance geography is to our daily lives • Describe how to get to Warren Grove from campus. • Describe how to get to the hospital from here. • How do I get around campus.

11. Internet Map Routing

12. Thinking About Geography • Geography is also very important in decision making • Health care managers use geography when they decide where to put new hospitals and clinics • Marketing operations to find best location for a new store • Delivery companies need to decide routes • Transportation officials need to select new roads • Forestry companies need to manage forests: where to cut, where to locate roads, where to plant trees • Governments need to decide on fund allocation • Farmers need to decide where to apply fertilizers and pesticides

13. Defining What People Know • Information systems make it easy to help people manage what they know • A variety of terms are used to indicate some idea of what we know • Data • Information • Evidence • Knowledge • Wisdom

14. Advancements in Cartography • Increase in developmental societies led to the need for newer and better maps (i.e., building of roads, railroads, and canals required the locations of towns, lakes, etc., to be accurately known. • Advances in mapmaking led to utilization of maps in various ways. One of these ways was to overlay a series of maps to show a large amount of information on a single display.

15. Advancements in Cartography • In the 18th Century, there is a rapid expansion of thematic mapping • Various layers of spatial data on a series of similar base maps

16. Advancements in Cartography • 18th Century maps of the Battle of Yorktown, drawn by French cartographer Louis-Alexandre Berthier contained hinged overlays to show troop movement.

17. Advancements in Cartography • First manual GIS developed during construction of Irish railway (1850s). A series of maps were compiled that showed information on population density, geology, and political boundaries. • Considered first manual GIS because it involved the simultaneous use of a series of maps to solve a spatial problem.

18. Advancements in Cartography • John Snow • Geography / Statistics / Epidemiology • Mapped cholera outbreaks in London in 1854 • Used spatial analysis to identify source of cholera as the water pump in the city square.

19. The 20th Century • It was the field of planning that first began to exploit thematic maps by extracting data from one map to another • In Dusseldorf, Germany (1912), several time periods were mapped for the city and time-series change overlays were constructed • In Billerica, Massachusetts (1912), overlays of land use and traffic circulation were constructed

20. The 20th Century • During the First World War (1914-1918), the value of complete aerial photographic reconnaissance is recognized by both sides • Germany acquires nearly 4000 photos a day as part of the planning for their last great offensive (1918), and the US Army has made over one million prints during the last four months of the war

21. Advancement of GIS • Cheaper & smaller computers • GIS packages improved as computer power and storage capabilities  and price  • Inexpensive data (Census & USGS) • User network • Development of books, journals, magazines, conferences, organizations • Merging with parallel technologies (GPS, PDA, Internet)

22. Advancement of GIS • Converging GIS with surveying, remote sensing, GPS, mobile computing, etc. • Results • Simpler • More users • Cheaper • Used by many disciplines

23. Applications of a GIS • Operational • Managing facilities and assets • Utilities • Waste management • Property management • Real estate

24. Marketing of residential real estate in the UK(Source: www.nestoria.co.uk)

25. The Singleton family name derives from a place in northwest England, and understandably the greatest concentration of this name today remains in this region. But why should the name be disproportionately concentrated in the south and east of the United States? Geographical analysis of the global pattern of family names can help us to hypothesize about the historic migrations of families, communities, and cultural groups.

26. http://storymaps.esri.com/stories/ireland/

27. Applications of a GIS • Management • Distributing resources to gain a competitive advantage • Retail • Telecommunications

28. Percentage Internet Usage as of 2008

29. Applications of a GIS • Strategic • Creation and implementation of an organizations business plan • Retail • Government • Law Enforcement

30. Political Science Analysis of election results Predictive Modeling Real Estate Neighborhood Land Prices Traffic Impact Analysis Business Demographic Analysis Site Selection Market penetration Health care Epidemiology Needs Analysis Education Administration Enrollment Projections School Bus Routing Applications of a GIS

31. Urban Planning And Management Zoning, Subdivision Planning Economic Development Emergency Response Code Enforcement Tax Assesment Environmental Science Monitoring environmental risks Management of watersheds, floodplains, wetlands, aquifers Groundwater modeling and contamination tracking Hazardous or toxic facility siting Applications of a GIS

32. Mapping roadside hazards and prediction of infrastructure failure after natural disaster.

39. Pinelands State Boundary Pinelands National Reserve The New Jersey Pinelands

42. Land use in Southern New Jersey and the Pinelands

43. Remember…… • GIS leads to better decision making!

44. Defining What People Know • Data • Numbers, text, symbols which in some sense are neutral and context-free • Raw geographical facts: what is the temperature, pressure, type of tree, building, etc. • Information • Implies some degree of selection, organization, or preparation for a particular purpose. • Data serving some purpose • Data given some degree of interpretation • Can be costly to produce but inexpensive to reproduce and distribute

45. Defining What People Know • Knowledge • Information to which value has been added by interpretation based on some context, experience, or purpose. • The information on a map, or book, or on the internet becomes knowledge only when it has been read and understood .

46. Defining What People Know • Wisdom • Used in the context of decisions made or advice given • Based on all knowledge available, but given with some understanding of likely consequences • Highly individualized and difficult to create or share within a group • The top-level in the hierarchy of decision-making infrastructure.