First, maps can indicate which parts of a proposed study area are inaccessible, due to the presence of large rivers, wide swamps or high mountains, or which areas are far from roads, trails or waterways. There is always something new to learn from a map. Refer to them often, especially when new information is brought in from the field. Check the date of any map you use and decide if it is still relevant. Aerial photographs and even satellite images are becoming increasingly available and can complement the information available from maps.
Maps are important tools for any land manager or field researcher.
They provide a means of representing spatial information in an accurate and compact way. For example, a map can show how many rivers there are, their locations, if there are many in one area and few in another, which directions they flow, if they flow near mountains, forests or villages, etc. Many words would be needed to convey the same information and the description would still remain incomplete. Maps provide a simple, efficient way of recording and presenting spatial information collected in the field . For example, the distributions of species or habitats, or the locations of trail systems, logged areas, or villages may be presented most effectively using maps.