International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B2. Istanbul 2004
"Now And For The Future", provides an optimistic vision of
the country for a new century. At the same time it
acknowledges that the implementation of a sustainable
development strategy requires ideas, determination and action
on behalf of all Canadians, across all sectors of society (Natural
Resources Canada, 2001). The third Sustainable Development
Strategy “Moving Forward” formulates for the next three years
a results-base action plan, guided by a unified, forward thinking
vision and organizational commitment to sustainable
development that encompass all of the Department's diverse
activities and enables the Government of Canada to address the
utilization of resources in a comprehensive manner, from a
national perspective (Natural Resources Canada, 2004).
2.2 The Sustainable Development through Knowledge
Integration Program
The Sustainable Development through Knowledge Integration
(SDKI) program was initiated in June 2003. The program
focuses largely on a number of issues related to Natural
Resources Canada’s requirements for sustainable development.
It builds on the concept that Earth Sciences Sector’s (ESS)
geospatial information could and should be used to support
decision and policy making. The SDKI program will move
select components of the ESS's research, information and
knowledge assets into the decision support environments of
government, industry and the public. It will develop technology
that facilitates integration of ESS information and knowledge
assets, and will enhance Natural Resources Canada’s capacity
to disseminate policy pertaining to Canada's mineral, energy
and forestry resources and their responsible use (Richardson,
2003).
The Sustainable Development through Knowledge Integration
program comprises several theme based application projects
and two system and methods development projects. The theme
projects are: Transport-Related Energy Sustainability in
Canadian Urban Areas, Sustainable Management and
Rehabilitation of Mine Sites for Decision Support, Forestland
Disturbances Monitoring, and Mapping for Sustainable
Development Planning and Reporting. The systems and
methods development projects are: the PATHWAYS-Decision
Support System for Sustainable Development and Visualization
of Integrated Knowledge for Sustainable Development
Decision Making (SDKI-Vis).
2.3 Visualization of Integrated Knowledge for Sustainable
Development Decision Making
The SDKI-Vis project focuses on removing barriers to the
effective communication of geospatial information to policy
and decision makers. The project addresses the translation of
quantitative science output into qualitative presentation
thereby demonstrating the results of modelling undertaken
within the SDKI theme projects such as urban analysis, forest
disturbances, mines, water and hazards. Forecasts resulting
from SDKI themes will be presented using methods such as
dynamic visualization or 3D interactive terrain representation.
Additionally, it will identify, assess and publish a suite of
advanced Web-based visualization techniques. More generic
visualization methods could be applied to other programs
conducted in the Earth Sciences Sector dealing with integrated
knowledge based on geospatial data and information. The
project also involves development of a long-term strategy for
visualization primarily applied to the SDKI program, with
potential links to other ESS programs such as Northern
Development.
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3.0 CARTOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE ON GEOSPATIAL
VISUALIZATION
Throughout the ages, various types of maps and images have
been used to communicate information. Societal change and
rapid technological evolution have had a significant impact on
how maps are produced, distributed and used. Today, maps
have evolved from static representations of the world to 2D or
3D interactive digital representations. In addition to graphical
representation, maps can now be enriched with multimedia
through the addition of sound and animation, thus expanding
the channels of information available to map users. These new
era maps often themselves become a mechanism for data
exploration and analysis, as new interactive distribution
systems such as the Internet are increasingly used for their
dissemination (Cartwright, 1999).
As cartographic visualization is based increasingly on new
technologies, the richness of human-to-human communication
is often lost as virtual environments can hamper spontaneous
engagement. However, many researchers believe that the most
dynamic and collaborative communication occurs when both
high and low technology tools are used (Bosselmann, 1998; Al-
Kodmany, 2001). Cartographic visualization is not meant to
replace traditional tools for decision-making, but both augment
and enhance these tools.
One of the most fundamental issues in cartographic and graphic
communication involves the suitability of the method used to
represent data, ie, graphs, charts, tables, maps, 3D
representation and animation. For example, cartographers warn
against using choropleth maps that distribute a risk evenly over
a surface when in fact the risk is not homogenous to such an
extreme degree that it follows the choropleth boundaries.
Another issue is the use of visual variables, namely the hue,
size, shape, value, texture and orientation of data symbolized
(Bertin, 1983). Web-based visualization is no longer limited to
2D static maps but includes dynamic and 3D representations.
In this case the visual variables described by Bertin are further
extended to encompass 3D dynamic representation and Virtual
Reality Modelling Language (VRML), which are dynamically
linked with databases. Once the data is represented, the means
of interaction must be considered to allow the user to
manipulate variables to create different scenarios. The key to
effective data exploration and analysis is the means of
interacting with data through functional and user friendly
interfaces.
4.1 WEB-BASED VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUES
This section discusses some of the techniques that were
successfully used for the communication of geospatial
information for Nunavut, Canada. Most of these techniques
have been developed within a visualization project conducted
by the Mapping Services Branch of the Earth Sciences Sector.
4.1 Mapping Services Branch Visualization Project
In April 1999 a new territory called Nunavut was created in
Canada’s north. To commemorate the creation of Nunavut, the
Mapping Services Branch published a special topographic map
of Iqaluit, the capital city of Nunavut, and initiated two
cartographic visualization projects. One project focused on
developing various interactive visualization techniques suitable
for presentation of topographic information of the region
[http://maps NRCan.gc.ca/visualization]. The second project
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