The Potentials and Limitations of Coastal Web Atlases

Valerie Cummins, Director

Coastal Zone ‘07, Oregon

Background to the first workshop

• Access to geospatial data• Background to the Marine Irish Digital Atlas (MIDA)

Background to the first workshop

• Access to geospatial data• Background to the Marine Irish Digital Atlas (MIDA)• Corresponding international atlas development projects• Collaboration needed to add value to existing projects

(initial phase focused on trans-Atlantic cooperation)

• Coastal Web Atlas definition: A collection of digital maps and datasets with supplementary tables, illustrations and information that systematically illustrate the coast, oftentimes with cartographic and decision support tools, all of which are accessible via the Internet.

Workshop 1 Participants

• CMRC, University College Cork• Co-ordination Centre for ICZM,

Belgium• Environment & Heritage Service,

Northern Ireland• Maritime & Coastguard Agency, UK• University Paul Cezanne, France• Marine Institute, Ireland• University of Ulster, Northern

Ireland• British Oceanographic Data Centre• Strangford Lough Management

Committee, Northern Ireland• Department of Marine, Ireland• Ulster Museum, Northern Ireland• Geological Survey of Ireland• European Environment Agency,

Denmark

• Geosciences Department, Oregon State University, USA

• Virginia Institute of Marine Science, USA

• Scripps Institute if Oceanography, USA

• San Diego Supercomputer Centre, USA

• NOAA Coastal Services Centre, USA

• Institute for Natural Resources, Oregon State University

• Oregon Ocean-Coastal Management Programme, USA

• Memorial University Newfoundland, Canada

Aims of the first workshop

• To create and strengthen relationships between experts in the field in marine and coastal mapping in North America and Europe

• To identify state of the art approaches to coastal mapping and informatics

Magic UK

Oregon Coastal Atlas, US

De Kustas, Belgium

North Coast Explorer, US MIDA, Ireland

Atlas Characteristics

• Atlas purpose• Distinguishing features• Target audience• Atlas support (financial/institutional)• Atlas design & useability• Technology used• Functionality/Tools available

Thematic areas covered

Institutional Capacity, Technology, Data, DesignUnique challenges + Common challenges

Key workshop 1 report recommendations

• Consult with the user community• Support dissemination of knowledge and experience• Provide input to policy development • Devote resources to proper cataloguing – use data standards

and specifications• Seek to maintain & update systems• Employ efficient, flexible and easy to use data management

systems• Implement ontologies to improve data discovery, sharing &

integration• Evaluate atlas impact• Offer analysis tools• Be innovative in approaches to funding• Acknowledge the importance of ongoing promotion • Build on lessons learned and implement best practice

Post workshop outcomes

• International coastal atlas network (ICAN)– Trans-Atlantic Workshops web resource– Workshop 1 report published– Response to the EU Commissions consultation on

the Green paper on a Maritime Policy for Europe– Formal project collaboration (BIDI project and

desktop study on data mining techniques)– Informal collaboration (email queries and support

network)– Conference papers e.g. Coastal Zone 07; CoastGIS

07– OSU workshop July 07 on semantic interoperability