A Web GIS Portal for Integrated Coastal Information: The Marine Irish Digital Atlas (MIDA)

Juan Arévalo, Liz O'Dea, Ned Dwyer, Valerie Cummins and Kristell Coutel

Coastal and Marine Resources Centre, University College Cork, Naval Base, (IE)

The Marine Irish Digital Atlas (MIDA), which became available on the Internet in May 2005, is a comprehensive and interactive Internet resource providing access to coastal and marine information in Ireland in terms of geospatial data and also as an informational tool. The data and information are organized into four all-encompassing categories: management, physical environment, biological environment and socio-economic activity. Over 70 data layers have been collected so far from a wide range of organisations, including government departments, research centres, NGOs and consultants.

The MIDA was designed with coastal managers and planners in mind. Atlas users can quickly identify available layers of interest through a searchable tool and visualise them in an interactive map, in some cases being able to download the data. Fully documented metadata are provided for each available dataset in order for atlas users to quickly source data of interest. The associated MIDA Information Resource is also available on coastal and marine issues in Ireland. It offers overview text and images, as well as links to relevant organizations and documents for the various categories.

The potential of MIDA is undeniable as a tool to assist planning decisions for all of those who are responsible of the development of an Integrated Coastal Management programme in Ireland. This poster illustrates the many components that have been brought together to create this useful tool.