Experiment No.: I AIM: Introduction to geographic information system and its applications. THEORY: WHAT IS GIS?

A geographic information system (GIS) is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographical data. The acronym GIS is sometimes used for geographical information science or geospatial information studies to refer to the academic discipline or career of working with geographic information systems and is a large domain within the roader academic discipline of Geoinformatics. In the simplest terms, GIS is the merging of cartography, statistical analysis, and computer science technology. A GIS can e thought of as a system!it digitally creates and "manipulates" spatial areas that may e #urisdictional, purpose, or application$oriented. Generally, a GIS is custom$designed for an organization. %ence, a GIS de&eloped for an application, #urisdiction, enterprise, or purpose may not e necessarily interopera le or compati le with a GIS that has een de&eloped for some other application, #urisdiction, enterprise, or purpose. 'hat goes eyond a GIS is a spatial data infrastructure, a concept that has no such restricti&e oundaries. In a general sense, the term descri es any information system that integrates, stores, edits, analyzes, shares, and displays geographic information for informing decision making. GIS applications are tools that allow users to create interacti&e (ueries (user$created searches), analyze spatial information, edit data in maps, and present the results of all these operations. Geographic information science is the science underlying geographic concepts, applications, and systems. GIS is a relati&ely road term that can refer to a num er of different technologies, processes, and methods. It is attached to many operations and has many applications related to engineering, planning, management, transport)logistics, insurance, telecommunications, and usiness. *or that reason, GIS and location intelligence applications can e the foundation for many location$ena led ser&ices that rely on analysis, &isualization and dissemination of results for colla orati&e decision making. APPLICATION OF

GIS GIS A++,I-ATI./ I/ *.01ST023 GIS applications in forestry in India is the indispensa le method y means of which the total forest area in India is measured. 4igital mapping has rought a out a re&olutionary change in the entire Geographical Information System (GIS). The rudimentary method of depending on paper maps has een changed and at present, one depends on digital maps, which in fact ha&e een playing a significant role in the monitoring and management of the forests.The Geographical Information System, Glo al +ositioning System, and 0emote Sensing are important technological applications used in &arious areas of life in today5s era of modern communication. The GIS Applications in forestry has come up with e6cellent results in the decision making in the field le&el. There are different types of GIS Applications in forestry, such as $ Super&ising of afforestation plans 7onitoring of plantation schemes -orridor mapping for animal migration %a itat mapping ,and capa ility mapping GIS applications in forestry are also used for the pre&ention of trespassers in the forests. This is done with the help of satellite imageries. The total forest area in India is under danger from &arious (uarters today. GIS applications in forestry are also &ery useful in the protection of forests. 'ith the help of such applications in the GIS system, accurate information can e remotely and easily o tained. The geo$spatial data is organized to make important decisions. The data should e accurate as any type of error within the GIS calculations would misguide the users. The modern day use of digital maps is more user friendly than the paper maps, as there is enough space for corrections and modifications within the digital maps. *or preparing digital maps, one has to count upon aerial photography and satellite imageries. /e&ertheless, the main draw ack regarding the GIS applications in forestry is that the applications are more used further for preparing working plans and making thematic maps. Some other useful purposes for which GIS applications in forestry can e used are the selection of locations for plantation or for super&ising the

ongoing danger of encroachments. 7oreo&er, issues like urning of forests and 5#hum5 culti&ation can e regulated. The e6pansion of infrastructure and communication networks are also taken care of y GIS applications. 7anaging the forests and &illage are also aided y these applications.