Resource Mapping

Resource mapping refers to the cartographic depiction of natural resources such as land, water, soil, minerals, forests, biological species, wind power, and so on. Thus, the phrase refers to the process of acquiring, analyzing, representing, and presenting information about the geographic distributions of these resources. The resulting resource maps visualize the spatial variation of the resources being mapped and are a means to analyze and store such information. The spatial variation information is fundamental to inventorying, monitoring, and modeling the resources; therefore, mapping is usually a key operation in resource management, conservation, use, and planning. Resource mapping is a routine practice in many governmental and nongovernmental agencies or organizations.

The history of resource mapping may be as long as the history of the map itself. It ...