Mapping Wilderness

Wilderness mapping may sound like a bit of an esoteric topic, but when you think carefully about it, it is a fundamental theme within environmental science and management. Wilderness is in many ways the pristine resource. It is where we as humans have historically derived all of our goods, services and resources, save perhaps for human ingenuity itself - though one might argue that the development of even that has its origins in our distant wild past wherein survival and development as a species depended on intelligence and invention. Even today in our advanced technological society we derive so much from wilderness and wild landscapes that we often take for granted. Clean air and water are the most obvious, but we must not forget the other regulating and supporting services provided by wilder lands including flood retention, carbon storage and sequestration, wildlife habitats and recreational environments. Wilderness also provides us with subjects of scientific study where we can observe natural processes and wildlife free from human interference. We should also acknowledge their importance as a source of not only scientific knowledge but also artistic and personal inspiration.§§This book attempts to give a comprehensi§ve overview of the topic area covering the conceptual and philosophical foundations, techniques and methodological approaches, and applications at a variety of spatial scales. In doing so we have brought together a range of contributors who are both experts in their field and cutting-edge thinkers in the wilderness and spatial mapping field. Spatial information technology and mapping science is a rapidly expanding and developing field and so we expect to be able to add to this in the future. For now, the book provides a record of the "state of the art" and will, it is hoped, enable you the reader to follow our lead and map your wilderness.§§