A GIS, or G eographic I nformation S ystem, is a powerful computer software for managing all sorts of information according to precise geographical location. A GIS may be a map of your schoolyard, your neighborhood, your state, your watershed, or your country. What makes GIS different from a simple map is that it may be attached to a database table or chart.
Users can zoom in and out on a map, and add or subtract information from the map.
A GIS might allow emergency planners to easily calculate emergency response times in the event of a natural disaster, or a GIS might be used to find wetlands that need protection from pollution. Each area may have a database attached which tells how many square feet or how many children used the area on a given day. Squirrel nests may be recorded as points on the map, and the detailed data sets are attached to these points. GIS is an ideal method to investigate patterns and relationships in the environment. The use of computerized information is a growing part of everyday life.