Environmental Mapping

The process of collecting and visualizing spatially referenced data about our environment is referred to as environmental mapping. Environmental mapping does not refer only to an end product, such as a map of deforestation, but to the whole process of acquiring, preprocessing, storing/archiving, analyzing, and finally displaying information about our physical environment (Figure 1). As such, environmental mapping can be regarded as multidisciplinary. It draws on the expertise of environmental scientists, such as physical geographers, geologists, ecologists, and climatologists, who help define the aspects of the environment to be studied and how to interpret the data collected. It also draws on surveyors, photogrammetrists, and remote sensing specialists to provide expertise in the acquisition of data on the environmental phenomena being studied. Cartographers, modelers, statisticians, graphic designers, and environmental scientists help in the processing and eventual visualization of the environmental data. Environmental mapping can be regarded as underpinning much of the investigation of the physical environment, which is where its importance lies. Scientists and decision makers need to know about the spatial distribution of phenomena in order to be able to research them and [Page 974]develop policies to address environmental problems such as deforestation or climate change. Environmental mapping also has an important role in informing the public and facilitating informed public debate. Environmental mapping is rarely the last stage in the process; it is part of the process of gathering and presenting information for further analysis and interpretation. This stage of investigation then leads to the development of explanations and, when relevant, to the formation of policy and legislation.

Figure 1 Components of environmental mapping

Source: Author.

The process of environmental mapping consists of a number of stages (Figure 2). The first stage in the process is defining what aspects of the environment are to be mapped. This is then followed by a data collection/acquisition phase. Next, the data may need some form of preprocessing before they can be used. In the case of large projects, or ones where data collection must be repeated numerous times to develop a time sequence of information, some form of data storage or archiving is required. Again, depending on the nature of the data collected and the aspect of the environment being studied, some form of analysis may be required before the data can be displayed for interpretation. The final stage in the environmental mapping process is to create a visual display of the data.