Pencil out, stylus in: Geospatial technologies give coastal fieldwork a new dimension

Mobile and desktop-based geospatial technologies now provide a relatively low-cost data acquisition, processing, analysis and display toolbox to facilitate the rapid collection and extraction of environmental data and information, the creation of maps and other visualisations. Both maps and imagery can be downloaded from the internet to the desktop and hand-held PCs, and used with global positioning systems (GPS) and palmtop geographic information systems (GIS) software for mobile field mapping and up-dating tasks Georectified aerial photography can be used as raster backdrops to vector data from Digimap and UWBorders to aid infield mapping Uploading data collected in the field with an IR (infrared) port-enabled personal digital assistant (PDA) or laptop equipped with a mobile phone and modem to a desktop server also allows for updating GIS databases. Internet map and image server software together with a hand-held PC and/or WAP-enabled (wireless application protocol) phone provides for access and retrieval of data and information 'on-the fly' in the field from an online internet-based GIS. This article examines the practical use of these geospatial technologies as a means to aid the study of coastal geography in the context of coastal zone management, with specific emphasis being placed on their role in education.