The Management Plan Wadden Sea and its Visualisation
109
The importance of GIS was not only proven through the rapid way in which
updated maps could be made, but also by drawing, comparing and fine-tuning e.g.
buffer-zones around restricted areas, silence areas, flying routes, shipping routes, and
such like. Once more it became clear that for most of the time the intention of the
participants was the same, but the delivered files or paper maps were not identical and
had to be fine-tuned to get a coherent image.
The Management Plan
Based on the sector notes the integral version of the Management Plan for the Wadden
Sea was written by the steering committee provided with 16 maps at the A4-size. For
these maps, the Arclnfo coverages were converted to a cartographic system (an Apple
Macintosh computer with Freehand-software) and made up again from scratch. This
procedure was foreseen since a reduction to A4-size (scale about 1:750.000) is not
possible without a certain amount of generalisation. At an earlier stage, a series at the
A4-size was produced with Arc View 2 for internal use. The quality was unsatisfactory,
due to lack of cartographic functionalities in ArcView 2, especially regarding
generalisation, the design of point- and line-symbols and the colour choice.
To present the Management Plan for comment to all the authorities
concerned, a small edition of the Freehand-maps was produced on a Canon colour
copier at the end of 1995. The comments received were processed in ArcInfo and then
plotted again at the original scale. These plots served as revision models and all
changes were then drawn by hand (using a mouse) in Freehand. So, no ArcInfo
coverage was converted again. This old-fashion-way proved to be a much faster, in
spite of the extra integrity checks. Next, 2000 copies of these A4-maps (see Fig. 2)
were printed, together with the text of the Management Plan in offset printing.
Information Management for the Benefit of the Wadden Sea
In the Wadden Sea Memorandum it is specified that decision-making on new or
altered activities must take place on the basis of the best available information on the
expected consequences, particularly with respect to the natural environment of the
Wadden Sea.
This information will be collected by means of a research and monitoring
programme, carried out by the different authorities concerned. These activities will be
essential for a careful and integral tuning and weighting of human use of the Wadden
Sea. With the help of adequate gathering, storage and presentation of data and
knowledge, the decision process can be based on the best available information. To an
increasing degree, attention must be given to the availability and actuality of data and
knowledge, which are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the management actions.
By mutual agreement all authorities concerned are going to aim at an adequate and
uniform storage and availability of management information in the Wadden Sea. For
this, a GIS is indispensable.
109
The importance of GIS was not only proven through the rapid way in which
updated maps could be made, but also by drawing, comparing and fine-tuning e.g.
buffer-zones around restricted areas, silence areas, flying routes, shipping routes, and
such like. Once more it became clear that for most of the time the intention of the
participants was the same, but the delivered files or paper maps were not identical and
had to be fine-tuned to get a coherent image.
The Management Plan
Based on the sector notes the integral version of the Management Plan for the Wadden
Sea was written by the steering committee provided with 16 maps at the A4-size. For
these maps, the Arclnfo coverages were converted to a cartographic system (an Apple
Macintosh computer with Freehand-software) and made up again from scratch. This
procedure was foreseen since a reduction to A4-size (scale about 1:750.000) is not
possible without a certain amount of generalisation. At an earlier stage, a series at the
A4-size was produced with Arc View 2 for internal use. The quality was unsatisfactory,
due to lack of cartographic functionalities in ArcView 2, especially regarding
generalisation, the design of point- and line-symbols and the colour choice.
To present the Management Plan for comment to all the authorities
concerned, a small edition of the Freehand-maps was produced on a Canon colour
copier at the end of 1995. The comments received were processed in ArcInfo and then
plotted again at the original scale. These plots served as revision models and all
changes were then drawn by hand (using a mouse) in Freehand. So, no ArcInfo
coverage was converted again. This old-fashion-way proved to be a much faster, in
spite of the extra integrity checks. Next, 2000 copies of these A4-maps (see Fig. 2)
were printed, together with the text of the Management Plan in offset printing.
Information Management for the Benefit of the Wadden Sea
In the Wadden Sea Memorandum it is specified that decision-making on new or
altered activities must take place on the basis of the best available information on the
expected consequences, particularly with respect to the natural environment of the
Wadden Sea.
This information will be collected by means of a research and monitoring
programme, carried out by the different authorities concerned. These activities will be
essential for a careful and integral tuning and weighting of human use of the Wadden
Sea. With the help of adequate gathering, storage and presentation of data and
knowledge, the decision process can be based on the best available information. To an
increasing degree, attention must be given to the availability and actuality of data and
knowledge, which are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the management actions.
By mutual agreement all authorities concerned are going to aim at an adequate and
uniform storage and availability of management information in the Wadden Sea. For
this, a GIS is indispensable.