In the thirty years since its inception, GIS has proven itself to be something altogether different from simply a map-making tool. GIS identifies patterns and relationships that can elude the naked eye, reveal trends in agricultural and natural resource management, foster clear, sound environmental conservation, enhance logistical planning, make customer service efficient and effective, and rejuvenate problem-solving from one end of an enterprise to the other. It saves money and time, increases productivity, and generates revenue.
The ESRI Map Book: Applications of Geographic Information Systems Volume 15 is a compilation of some of the best digital maps produced in 1999. These contributions from individual GIS users around the world show how the digital revolution is fueling an explosion of quality spatial data.
The stories of these maps cover more than 20 industry sectors from government to geology to health care to transportation. They include:
-Understanding wetlands depletion
-Tracking ground water contamination
-Reducing juvenile crime
-Preparing for natural disasters
-Determining biodiversity protection plans
-Designing telecommunications networks
Descriptive text accompanies each full-color map, telling how the maps were produced or used. Published annually since 1984, the ESRI Map Book is the only publication dedicated to celebrating the important and innovative mapping achievements of GIS people around the world.
