Data Shaping the Landscape: GIS and Stewardship

Abstract

Users of geospatial technologies (e.g., GIS) are applying these technologies to a wide variety of issues ranging from forestry to land use planning, and from demographics to facilities management. Previous research has suggested that professionals with different backgrounds will tend to have different expectations and demands regarding quality and content of land information. As the data necessary to support these activities have become more readily available from public sources, patterns of availability are emerging that favor some professional groups over others. This paper shows that the data that are underdeveloped are those that would best serve activities relating to stewardship of the land, thus placing professionals interested in conservation preservation or sound development practices at a disadvantage in relationship to other groups.