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The Changing Face of Mapping - GIS

Michael Polly

Imagine that you own a house situated on the southwestern tip of an acreage. The rest of the land is a mosaic of natural communities – a stream meanders through one corner of the property, wetlands lie strewn alongside the stream, a forest sits above the water and tallgrass prairie occupies the rest of the site. Now, imagine viewing your home from the air, say in an airplane or perhaps a hot-air balloon. With such a bird’s-eye view of the landscape, you can see your land as it truly is. You can also see how your home fits into the larger pattern of the regional landscape.

This view can be incorporated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) to create a digital map. GIS is a computer- and satellite-based technology that enables the user to create and manage spatial information. It has become a powerful tool in the Conservancy’s efforts to protect Iowa’s species and natural communities.

With GIS, many types of analyses can be performed for areas such as your mythical homestead. Over time, vegetation and stream changes would become apparent. The relative sizes of the natural communities could be determined; perhaps you have enough prairie to sustain a viable population of bobolinks. You could finally win your argument with your neighbor: you have more forest. The map might indicate potential trouble spots – your property (and therefore your water supply) is located down-drainage from a leaking underground storage tank.

Ten years ago, we had no such mapping technology. Starting with a grant from the Conservation Technology Support Program in 1995, we now have an impressive array of equipment and several staff who routinely incorporate GIS into their daily activities. We also have a GIS Internship program which keeps up to 3 college students busy each summer.

Where will GIS take us in the new millennium? GIS will continue to aid in preserve acquisitions, stewardship and risk assessment. It will continue to showcase our natural areas to the public. And it will be a key tool as we implement our ecoregional plans and monitor our protection efforts in the coming decades.