This article is from the Gecko Autumn edition in 2001

The Wide World of Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
By Chris Jonkers

Some of you may have heard of a GIS system before, but I imagine most of you will recoil in horror at the thought of managing the landscape through a computer system. Whilst this is not exactly the case, computers are having a bigger and bigger role in supporting land management decisions, helping to conserve our biodiversity and educating the community. So I have set out to uncover the world of the GIS.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system that records, stores, and analyses information about the features that make up the earth’s surface. A GIS can generate two or three dimensional images of an area, showing such natural features as hills and rivers with man made features such as roads and power lines.

Many GIS databases consist of sets of information called layers. Each layer represents a particular type of geographic data. For example, one layer may include information on the roads in an area. Another layer may contain information on the soil or vegetation in that area, while another records elevation. The GIS can combine these layers into one image, showing how the roads, vegetation, soil, and elevation relate to one another.

A GIS is designed to accept geographic data from a variety of sources, including maps, satellite photographs, and printed text and statistics. GIS sensors can scan some of this data directly, for example, a computer operator may feed a map or photograph into the scanner, and the computer “reads” the information it contains. The GIS converts all geographical data into a digital code, which it arranges in its database. Operators program the GIS to process the information and produce the images or information they need.

To gain a perspective on how Blue Mountains City Council is using this technology in a practical way. I have interviewed our GIS Officer – Tom Colley on the use and future of the GIS in the mountains:

Chris: So Tom, what are some of the ways Council has utilised this technology?

Tom: Well the GIS has a variety of functions at Council. Some of which relate to the environment, and others to property and asset management.  On the environmental level, the GIS is being used to map and monitor weed infestations, vegetation types, water quality, and threatened species.

Chris: What have been some of Councils biggest achievements?

Tom: We have Recently completed digital aerial photography of the entire Council managed area at a scale that allows definition of individual trees. The same has also has a detailed survey and mapping of vegetation communities.

Chris: What are the limitations of the current system?

Tom: Access to the digital maps to a large number of people both internal and external to Council. This is a result of our present software/hardware limitations. So currently we have more people interested in the data than what we can actually supply. Also, the collection of environmental information is a time consuming and expensive process. For example it cost $**** to develop the vegetation mapping

Chris: What is the future of GIS use in the Blue Mountains?

Tom: It will involve much broader access to council staff and the community to all levels of GIS information. This will be achieved mostly via the internet. I would like to see internet facilities for residents allowing them to learn about the environmental features of their neighbourhood. This would include vegetation communities, flora and fauna lists, threatened species and water quality.