64
P.A.G. Watts
Mapping (Geographic Information) for the Coastal Zone
There is a well worn adage in OS, taken from the report of the Davidson Committee of
1938 (Davidson, 1938): “There is no question that what is wanted by Government
Authorities, and by the public, is a map which represents the relevant facts as they are
on the day when the map is required for use”. Though this statement was initially made
with regard to map currency, the philosophy may be applied with equal pertinence to
the issue of what are “the relevant facts”. They will, of course, be determined
principally by the user, and by the user’s interest or application for the map in question.
Thus, in devising the relevant mapping and geographic information for the Coastal
Zone, it is necessary to define the users and their needs/applications.
Potential Coastal Zone users of geographic information may include:
Specialist Planners
Coastal Engineers
Those concerned with ownership, occupation, development or use of coastal
real estate, (and their management agents)
Industrial, Commercial and Financial interests
Environmentalists and Ecologists
Marine users including shipping, port and fishing applications
Leisure and Tourism
Superimposed upon these applications sectors are the “public service” needs of
Local and Central Government Agencies and some major Utilities. The list is large and
wide ranging with many applications and disparate requirements.
There are of course many sources of geo-topographic information potentially
available to the Coastal Zone community. These include a variety of specialist datasets
captured over time by local, regional, national or specialist agencies. Many will have a
spatial index or reference, and frequently the user information will be presented as an
overlay on a general-purpose map, or in the form of a specialist thematic map. General
topographic information is also available from remotely sensed imagery, either aircraft
borne (air-photography) or satellite sensed. Increasingly this information is available as
digital imagery that lends itself to specialist analysis using GIS. In the coastal arena
infrared aerial photography has long been a key tool in the mapping of low water and
the foreshore.
Examples of these specialist datasets include:
Shoreline Physical Process data:- e.g. foreshore characteristics, rates of
coastal change through time, beach erosion and accretion data and flood
monitoring information
Coastal Engineering information:- e.g. sea defence surveys (Environment
Agency, Halcrow), coast protection Surveys (MAFF)
Natural Habitat and Environment data:- e.g. land cover, designated sites and
areas (SSSI, NNR, LNR, AONB, county reserves, protected sites) etc.
Man-made Environment data:- e.g. county and regional structure plans, L.A.
local plans, urban and settlement geography, communications infrastructure,
P.A.G. Watts
Mapping (Geographic Information) for the Coastal Zone
There is a well worn adage in OS, taken from the report of the Davidson Committee of
1938 (Davidson, 1938): “There is no question that what is wanted by Government
Authorities, and by the public, is a map which represents the relevant facts as they are
on the day when the map is required for use”. Though this statement was initially made
with regard to map currency, the philosophy may be applied with equal pertinence to
the issue of what are “the relevant facts”. They will, of course, be determined
principally by the user, and by the user’s interest or application for the map in question.
Thus, in devising the relevant mapping and geographic information for the Coastal
Zone, it is necessary to define the users and their needs/applications.
Potential Coastal Zone users of geographic information may include:
Specialist Planners
Coastal Engineers
Those concerned with ownership, occupation, development or use of coastal
real estate, (and their management agents)
Industrial, Commercial and Financial interests
Environmentalists and Ecologists
Marine users including shipping, port and fishing applications
Leisure and Tourism
Superimposed upon these applications sectors are the “public service” needs of
Local and Central Government Agencies and some major Utilities. The list is large and
wide ranging with many applications and disparate requirements.
There are of course many sources of geo-topographic information potentially
available to the Coastal Zone community. These include a variety of specialist datasets
captured over time by local, regional, national or specialist agencies. Many will have a
spatial index or reference, and frequently the user information will be presented as an
overlay on a general-purpose map, or in the form of a specialist thematic map. General
topographic information is also available from remotely sensed imagery, either aircraft
borne (air-photography) or satellite sensed. Increasingly this information is available as
digital imagery that lends itself to specialist analysis using GIS. In the coastal arena
infrared aerial photography has long been a key tool in the mapping of low water and
the foreshore.
Examples of these specialist datasets include:
Shoreline Physical Process data:- e.g. foreshore characteristics, rates of
coastal change through time, beach erosion and accretion data and flood
monitoring information
Coastal Engineering information:- e.g. sea defence surveys (Environment
Agency, Halcrow), coast protection Surveys (MAFF)
Natural Habitat and Environment data:- e.g. land cover, designated sites and
areas (SSSI, NNR, LNR, AONB, county reserves, protected sites) etc.
Man-made Environment data:- e.g. county and regional structure plans, L.A.
local plans, urban and settlement geography, communications infrastructure,