Abstract
This chapter discusses the roles of geographic information systems (GIS) in urban management, planning and ecosystem management within two regions of northern New Zealand. Situating the place of GIS is crucial towards elucidation of the context within which adoption and uptake has occurred. A review of the pertinent laws regarding local governance with emphasis upon planning and resource allocation will frame the chapter detailing the political space enveloping GIS within New Zealand broadly and the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) specifically. The structure of GIS as a department within the ARC follows. Three examples of GIS use, as a tool and increasingly as policy instruments, facilitating urban, rural and coastal management are related with an additional example of conceptual modeling described. The first study details the use of GIS as employed in urban residential land-use and rural landscapes through determination of building sections available for development. The chapter then examines the role of coastal modeling and its predictive capacities within resource management, urban planning and coastal protection. Finally, an exploration as to where GIS management and planning are traveling in New Zealand ensues by examining the role of exploratory dynamic modeling at Environment Waikato and Landcare Research whilst considering the potential for impact upon New Zealand urban and rural land management and environmental policy creation.
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