Opportunities for GI and the Waterfront - Technology in Practice

David R. Green

Director of MCRM Degree Programme and Centre for Marine and Coastal Zone Management (CMCZM)
University of Aberdeen (UK)

With growing attraction to coastal environments around the World waterfront areas are increasingly being considered as prime areas for re-development and further development both on land and in the water. Examples include the redevelopment and revitalization of harbour areas to include waterside apartments, shopping areas, and marinas and walkways, incorporating elements of cultural heritage and art with the specific aim of community enhancement as an area as a place to live, to work and invest in, as well as to visit. Emphasis is often placed upon developments that will demonstrate long-term sustainability, balanced economic and environmental development, as well as community involvement, restoration, and enhancement of image and appeal. Geographical Information and geospatial technologies offers a suite of well-developed generic practical tools to help gather, analyse, integrate, model, visualize, share and communicate geographic information. This includes multiple sources of imagery and maps, tools for mobile data collection, mechanisms for access to and deliver of online information, animation and scenario modeling, and a range of Virtual Reality (VR) tools offering opportunities to visually explore areas both before and after development. GIS can be used to assist in the planning process through database resource creation, locational analysis, integration, mapping and visualization. Provision of access to geographical information using online Internet and participatory GIS offers stakeholders insight into proposed waterfront developments thereby involving them in the planning process. In areas under increasing pressure from coastal development access to information provides insight into some of the options available to communities. This paper considers the role of the various different geospatial technologies and Geographic Information (GI) as one means to help study, visualize, plan and develop waterfront landscapes. A number of examples will be used to illustrate the paper.