The Map Room

Mark Monmonier has an article in New Scientist about “restrictive cartography” — the same topic as his latest book, No Dig, No Fly, No Go (see previous entry).

What I call “restrictive cartography” is not in itself new. Property maps are at least as old as Roman times, and boundary maps no younger than kingdoms and nation states. What is new, however, is the substantial increase in both the number and diversity of restrictive maps. A comparison of mapping in 1900 and 2000 underscores my point.

Since 1900, we have used maps to exclude industry from residential neighbourhoods, ban new construction on floodplains, help delineate “historic” districts that constrain a homeowner’s choice of paint colour or replacement windows, put limits on where and with what weapons we can hunt game, restrict travel by foreign diplomats and journalists, prevent sex offenders from living near schools and playgrounds, and keep aircraft a nautical mile away from a vice-president’s weekend retreat.

The public tolerates these cartographic restrictions because many, if not most, are not only benign but essential.

Via All Points Blog.

Previously: New Book from Mark Monmonier: No Dig, No Fly, No Go.

• Buy No Dig, No Fly, No Go (paperback) at Amazon.com
• Buy No Dig, No Fly, No Go (hardcover) at Amazon.com