If you're a landowner or land professional, you've likely heard of Geographic Information Systems or GIS. It's a technological tool that has revolutionized the way we analyze, interpret, and manage geographical information. From mapping and analysis to decision-making and planning, GIS is an essential tool for land professionals.
What is GIS?
GIS is a computer-based tool used to collect, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and visualize geographic data. It allows land professionals to capture, query, and interpret large volumes of data and present it in the form of interactive maps, graphs, and charts that can be used for decision-making. GIS works by combining spatial and non-spatial data to create a digital map that provides a better understanding of land and environmental issues.
Spatial analysis is an important component of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). It combines the processes of manipulating, managing, analyzing, and interpreting geographical data to answer questions related to spatial relationships and patterns. Spatial analysis can be used to identify trends and correlations between variables within a geographic area or region.
It can also be used to identify the optimal location for a new business or development project. It can help predict future events, such as natural disasters or changes in population distribution. In addition, it can help assess the potential environmental impacts of certain activities or projects. Spatial analysis is an important tool for GIS and is used to gain greater insight into geographical features, locations, and patterns in order to better inform decision-making and planning processes.
What is GIS used for?
GIS can be applied in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, forestry, real estate, mining, energy, government, and environmental management. Land professionals use GIS to monitor natural resources, plan land use, assess natural hazards, and evaluate land suitability for projects. GIS is a powerful tool for analyzing climate change, population changes, and infrastructure development. It can also be used to study the effect of land use on the environment and the relationship between land use and other features.
GIS is used to store, analyze, and manipulate GIS data that includes geographical information or spatial data. This can include features such as streets, lakes, cities, and countries. Other examples of data stored in GIS include elevation models (including digital elevation models), land-use maps, demographic information, soil types, and vegetation types. GIS can also be used to store and analyze non-spatial data, such as economic indicators, population statistics, or environmental measurements. This type of data helps users understand how different factors are related to each other spatially.
The Future of GIS
GIS software tools and applications are always evolving and expanding to provide more value and efficient functionality. Advancements in technology have improved data analysis, data visualization, and data sharing. Today, GIS is cloud-based, making it easier for land professionals to access the software and data from anywhere, including on mobile devices. GIS also now integrates with other software such as weather forecasting tools and social media applications to provide real-time data.
LandGate’s LandApp tool takes GIS to a whole new level. The capabilities of typical GIS tools are available plus many other features including ownership information, property resource data like solar, wind, and EV charging, map creation, and property reports. Many landowners, land professionals, and commercial realtors use our tool daily to consistently beat out their competition and expand their knowledge of property.
