Abstract
Within an E.U.-funded project, BESS (Pocket Beach Management and Remote Surveillance System), the notion of a geographic information system is an indispensable tool for managing the dynamics of georeferenced data and information for any form of territorial planning. This notion was further explored with the creation of a WebGIS portal that will allow local and regional stakeholders/authorities obtain an easy remote access tool to monitor the status of pocket beaches (PB) in the Maltese Archipelago and Sicily. In this paper, we provide a methodological approach for the implementation of a WebGIS necessary for very detailed dynamic mapping and visualization of geospatial coastal data; the description of the dataset necessary for the monitoring of coastal areas, especially the PBs; and a demonstration of a case study for the PBs of Sicily and Malta by using the methodology and the dataset used during the BESS project. Detailed steps involved in the creation of the WebGIS are presented. These include data preparation, data storage, and data publication and transformation into geo-services. With the help of different Open Geospatial Consortium protocols, the WebGIS displays different layers of information for 134 PBs including orthophotos, sedimentological/geomorphological beach characteristics, shoreline evolution, geometric and morphological parameters, shallow water bathymetry, and photographs of pocket beaches. The WebGIS allows not only for identifying, evaluating, and directing potential solutions to present and arising issues, but also enables public access and involvement. It reflects a platform for future local and regional coastal zone monitoring and management, by promoting public/private involvement in addressing coastal issues and providing local public administrations with an improved technology to monitor coastal changes and help better plan suitable interventions.
Highlights
The numerous fields of application of geographic information systems (GISs) have become an effective and irreplaceable element in the study of anthropogenic activities and natural phenomena, thanks to sophisticated technologies and the growing interest generated by the science of geographic information [1]
This paper describes how WebGIS technology was employed for geospatial data representation and dynamic mapping of the pocket beaches (PB)
A WebGIS portal including various pocket-beach-related data and models in different temporal and spatial scales was created to present the results of the Interreg project, BESS, to a wider group of people
Summary
The numerous fields of application of geographic information systems (GISs) have become an effective and irreplaceable element in the study of anthropogenic activities and natural phenomena, thanks to sophisticated technologies and the growing interest generated by the science of geographic information [1]. GISs have become more dynamic, flexible, and accessible to users [3]. Once a GIS project has been prepared, web publishers can create and publish interactive web pages characterized by a high level of customization in the form of a WebGIS. It allows the information, including access to the maps published online, to be available to end users, such as citizens, tourists, and regional administrations, by using a common web browser by connecting from remote Internet locations [4].
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