MOR E T HA N A
There was a time when the glove compartment of every car was crammed with tattered maps used to plan and trace routes during a trip. Now, most people rely on their phones and GPS navigation apps, such as Google Maps or Waze, to help them find their destination. Similarly, we have switched from using paper maps to a mapping technique that involves technology much like a phone’s navigation app. We use a digital mapping method, known as geographic information system (GIS), which provides a way to capture, store and present spatial or geographic data. The system allows us to share real-time information with the public about flooded trails, the location of a controlled burn, or the beach status at Independence Grove (Libertyville). GIS also allows staff to efficiently track and analyze a variety of information, from floodplain acreage to wildlife populations, to tree branches that may be hazardous or blocking a trail. GIS is growing in popularity across the country,
HOW DIGITAL MAPPING HELPS US TRACK EVERYTHING FROM TRAILS TO TREES
utilized in nearly every industry, and tailored to the needs of the user. “This mapping system provides an efficient way to share locational information and data,” said our GIS Analyst Nick Spittlemeister. LAK E COUNTY FOR E ST PRE S E RVES
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