UNIT 3 – MODULE 1: Introduction to GIS *

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) Allows the visualization & interpretation of data through “layers” of linked/categorized information. Commonly used in city planning and resource management. Credit: Westfield State University

IMPORTANCE & VALUE GIS is an incredible tool in answering questions regarding location, patterns, trends and conditions. Example: – Where is the nearest grocery store? – Where are students living in a city? – What changes are occurring to a particular animal population? – Where is there a rest stop along a freeway or highway?

SITE SELECTION GIS excels at assisting in an optimized selection site for a particular operation. Example: if looking to store radioactive waste, GIS can find the best location that accounts for: – Distance from population. – Storage compatibility w/surrounding geology (e.g. rock types, faults). – Safe transport routes. Credit: National Cancer Institute

SITE SELECTION: Where To Go To School If you need to send your children to school but don’t have a car, you can identify the nearest bus stops. If you’re worried about safety, you can identify which areas are safest. GIS uses your own criteria to help guide decisions. Credit: GIS Lounge

SITE SELECTION: Where To Start A Business Do you need lots of parking? Do you want to locate where there’s high levels of foot traffic (i.e. near public transit)? GIS enables you to identify the best location for your business by your own specified criteria. Credit: MIT

APPLICATIONS Government Planning: – Transportation – Services – Housing Commerce/Business: – Market Analysis – Fleet Management – Marketing – Site Location Environmental Management: – Landfill Site Selection – Mineral Mapping – Resource Management – Disaster Response – Pollution Monitoring – Environmental Impact Assessments *

GOVERNMENT PLANNING GIS can help government locate the best areas for mass transit & type (e.g. bus, bike), how to optimize serving the people by identifying quicker routes or avoiding residential areas for a noisy operation, and how to plan out an area’s development of new roads, signage, building setback requirements, lighting, etc. * Credit: City of Portland

COMMERCE/BUSINESS Whether its improving delivery routes or identifying local markets by assessing a population’s median income & educational level, GIS can enable solutions for those engaging in commerce and/or growing a business. Credit: ESRI

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT From evaluating the effects of planned land use to tracking water pollution, GIS provides environmental managers with the necessary tools to make informed decisions based on layers of data, enabling optimized decision-making. Credit:

SPATIAL DATA Geographical information of features, such as location & shapes. Allows us to establish position (latitude & longitude) and its relationship to other features (e.g. road access). Can also include non- spatial or attribute data. Credit: University of Hohenheim

ATTRIBUTE DATA Textual data that describes a features geographic characteristics. In other words, attribute data provides specific information about spatial data. Example: wind speed & direction, snowfall, temperature, dates & times, etc. Credit: Autodesk

VISUALIZATIONS There are many ways to represent information on a GIS map. Depends on what information you’re trying to convey, and how you represent it. Bottom line: you will decide how the maps look, which will be determined by what you want to show. Credit: GIS Lounge