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This year's theme is GIS: Taking us into the
future. What exactly does this theme mean? Are we basically saying
that GIS will lead the world to the promised land and solve all of the
world’s problems, that when GIS has performed it’s magic all that
will be left is a 8 hour work week and the terrible decision of where
the people of the world should vacation this month, Tahiti or Paris?
Trust me, we are suggesting nothing quite so simplistic.
The world is becoming a much more interconnected
and interdependent place. From resources, goods and services to
environmental, public health, political and military issues, the
decisions that a group of people make today have affects not just
locally but increasingly on a regional level and eventually the ripples
from these decisions are felt by people around the world.
So how is GIS taking us into the future? The
understanding of systems can be difficult. Systems typically have many
inputs ranging from local, regional, and global. These inputs are
influenced by a variety of constrains and processes that may change over
time. Finally, systems generate output. How does my food get to the
grocery store? How might a change in import/export laws affect the
safety, quality, and cost of my food? How will development of a new
transportation corridor affect travel time, sound levels, air quality,
property values, animal migrations, storm runoff, etc? How will the
building of a new power plant in a nearby state impact my life both
positively and negatively? GIS is the technology that allows these
complex systems and relationships to be modeled in their true spatial
context and be much better understood; however, and perhaps more importantly,
GIS allows the results of these analyses to be presented in a graphic
way that allows the data consumer too quickly and effectively understand
what is being presented.
The future will require that more thought, planning
and understanding go into systems. GIS will provide the means for
understands these system through the use of “What If…” scenarios,
quantifying results in spatial terms, and finally allowing individuals
to understand impacts so that better informed decisions can be made.
Truly, GIS will be taking us into the future. Let all jump on board.
See you in Park City!! |
