Google announced earlier this year that it will now be offering Google Earth Pro for free. Google Earth Pro had previously required an annual subscription fee of several hundred dollars, and I have my doubts as to what the elimination of a paid subscription tier means for the future of Google Earth. But, first, let’s explore why this announcement is relevant to land preservation. Continue reading Google Earth Pro Is Now Free—But Why?
Maps and GIS
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis is an increasingly important resource for land preservation. GIS is basically a way of using computers to analyze map data. As it relates to land preservation, GIS analysis can help determine the most efficient way to monitor a portfolio of protected properties, it can help analyze the special geographic characteristics of a property (for example, wetlands on the property), and it can even help predict how changes in nearby properties’ uses will impact a property.
For more information, read the posts that follow.
Preserving Viewsheds Efficiently Through GIS Mapping
Usually, when those of us in the land preservation community think of preserving land, we think of placing that particular piece of land under a conservation easement (or perhaps preserving it in some other way). But what if the property is so unique that placing even nearby properties under a conservation easement becomes useful or even necessary? Continue reading Preserving Viewsheds Efficiently Through GIS Mapping