Maps are a very effective tool for resource management. They assist in communication between resource managers, their colleagues and constituents.
Maps help resource managers visualize where objects of interest are located, such as a stream.
Once the stream is located on a map, resource managers can determine the relationship of identified objects, such as a species of plant, to the stream. This type of spatial analysis is possible with the use of maps created by a geographical information system. Georeferenced data corresponds to a place on the surface of the earth. A GIS is capable of inputting, storing, manipulating, analyzing and outputting georeferenced data. The power of a GIS is its ability to tie attributes about a location to the place it represents on the ground and output maps to display its geographic extent and associated attributes.