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Mapping Glossary

Feature types
Map features are either point, line of polygon. Depending on the map scale, a feature may appear as a polygon on a large scale map (1:5,000) but as a point on a small scale map (1:100,000)
Topology
This should not be confused with topography (elevation). Topology is the mathematics of relationships. In the world of GIS, it refers to such relationships as adjacency (e.g. two property parcels next to each other), connectivity (i.e. a road segment joins at an intersection) and spatial overlay. We can overlay a polygon layer (e.g. park) with a distribution of bird sightings (e.g. points) and determine how many and which sightings occur within the park.
Layers
A map can be deconstructed into a series of layers. These layers correspond to a feature type. For example, a topographic map will be composed of several layers:

Hydrology:
  • Streams (lines)
  • Lakes (polygons)
Topography
  • Contours (lines)
  • Spot heights (points)
Road Network (lines)
Towns (polygons)
Forest cover (polygons)
Base map
When designing a web GIS, the first decision is the base map:
  • What are the features of the base map?
  • At what scale or multi-scales ?
  • What is the extent ?
  • Do you need imagery (satellite or aerial photography?
Operational layers
These are dynamic layers that are changed in response to action by the user e.g. parcel layer if you are querying that part of the spatial database.
Spatial databases
A GIS contains both the geography of the features (x,y coordinates) as well as the attributes for every element (point, line, polygon). In the past attributes were stored in a conventional database and linked to the coordinates within the GIS.
Queries: spatial versus attribute
Spatial queries depend on the relationship between the geographic features. Common examples are: show me the adjacent parcels ? or show me the connected parts of the road network ?. Attribute queries focus on the characteristics of the element and then display the resulting geography. For example, if you had a database of rhododendron growers and all of the rhododendron species growing in their garden. Then you can ask the question, show me a map of all occurrences of R. maxima in Nova Scotia ?
Geographic Analysis
A web GIS is good for display and query. If you need more complex analysis, it will require access to other GIS functionality through a widget. For example,
  1. calculate the shortest path through a road network which allows a tourist to visit certain locations in a specific order;
  2. you are interested in the relationship between two data layers: soil polygons and topography to answer the question: what areas are suitable for grape growing ?
  3. Or generate a buffer. Find all patients within three kilometers of an hospital ?
Map projections
Our earth is essentially spherical (three dimensions). To create a map (two dimensions) it is necessary to select a map projection for this conversion. A common projection is the universal transverse Mercator (UTM).
Tracking
The technology exists for tracking the movement of organisms across the landscape. These coordinate strings can be used to produce dynamic maps e.g. bird migrations, vacation travel, truck dispatch.
The Grid and the Story (see Robert MacFarlane The Wild Places p 140-145).
MacFarlane makes the distinction between the map as an objective entity – traditionally a hard copy rendition of reality and the map depicting a journey through the landscape (see #10 Tracking).
web GIS and mobile GIS
Mobile GIS is the ability to bring the functionality of web GIS into the field. Mobile GIS knows where it is located and can identify features which are nearby. In addition, mobile GIS allows the user to view the landscape, notice changes and to feed that information back to the corporate GIS. This creates a dynamic database with events recorded in real time.
Time scale
Besides geographic scale, GIS are accommodating time scale. If the features include a time and date stamp, it is possible to create dynamic maps where the user has the capacity to change the time frame and show changes over time.
Community Mapping
This concept is to allow individual communities or groups of citizens to design, load and update specific data layers. These data layers may be combined with data layers (or base maps) provided by government agencies.

Cultural mapping is a systematic approach to identifying and recording a community’s cultural assets and has two dimensions.
  1. Resource Mapping – identifying and recording tangible cultural resources usually making use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools and platforms; and,
  2. Community Identity Mapping – exploring a community’s ‘intangible cultural resources’ – the unique stories and traditions that define a community’s identity and sense of place.
Cultural Mapping
Cultural mapping may be conceived as a subset of community mapping. Cultural mapping refers to those features designated as a cultural asset e.g. facilities, businesses, stories, festivals etc.
Cultural Resource Framework
Is a consistent set of categories (taxonomy) of cultural resources that supports the consolidation of data on local cultural assets. The CRF is based on the Statistics Canada Canadian Framework of Cultural Statistics which defines the creative cultural sector in Canada. The categories of cultural resources include those illustrated in this diagram.
A more detailed breakdown of each category is set out below.
Creative Economy
Communities large and small increasingly the powerful role played by creativity and culture in economic development. Leveraging outcomes requires us to distinguish five inter-related concepts illustrated below.
  • Creative Economy: The creative economy is an economy driven by ideas, innovation, knowledge, diversity, collaboration and creativity. It encompasses economic activity in which ideas and intellectual property produce value and generate wealth.
  • Creative Industries: A broad grouping of industries and economic activity driven by ideas and intellectual capital. They include science and engineering, business and finance; law, and health care and related fields, science and engineering, architecture and design, education, information.
  • Creative Cultural Industries: A set of industries specified by Statistics Canada that are driven by creativity and expressive value. These are among the fastest growing industries in many jurisdictions and include the performing arts; film and video production; recording and broadcasting; architecture; design (graphic, industrial, interior, fashion, etc; advertising; publishing; new and integrated digital media etc.
  • Creative Cultural Occupations: Statistics Canada distinguishes core cultural occupations in four main groups: literary arts; visual arts and design; performing arts; and heritage. Secondary occupational groups are: cultural management; technical and operational occupations; and manufacturing occupations.
  • Cultural Clusters: Geographically-defined networks where there is a concentration of creative cultural activity which can include non-profit organizations, cultural institutions, arts venues and individual artists alongside other institutions, public agencies, businesses and/or industries. These clusters provide opportunities for public participation, the incubation of ideas, networking and cultural production.
  • Cultural Hub: Sometimes called convergence centres, these are multi-tenant centres or districts that serve as a focal point for creative entrepreneurship and the incubation of ideas and products. Hubs provide the necessary hard (i.e., facilities) and soft (i.e., networks) infrastructure to support collaboration and success.
Municipal Cultural Planning
Is a place-based approach to cultural development defined as:

A municipally-led process for identifying and leveraging a community’s cultural resources and integrating culture across all facets of planning and decision-making.

 Municipal cultural planning asks new things of municipalities, requiring them to rethink what they do as well as how they plan and support cultural development. Traditionally, municipalities viewed their responsibilities to culture largely in the context of managing facilities and delivering arts and heritage programs and, broadly speaking, supporting the development of the cultural sector. In the new vision of municipal cultural planning old expectations do not disappear but are understood in a larger context of city-building and integrating culture across all facets of municipal planning and decision-making.
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