Maplines Summer 2011

Contact the Editors 2

ICC in Paris for 50th anniversary See pages 16 – 17

BCS Design Group Maps in the media 4-5

Transit mapping 6-7

Summer 2011 – £3.00

From the Editors t is not often that our ultra talented, decisive and intelligent Editorial team here at Maplines is stumped, but in this issue one word put us in a spin. Kate Chanba’s excellent article on transport maps (pages 6 and 7) served up a bit of a linguistic googly regarding the word transit. With a bit of research we were quickly able to discover the exact meaning of the word as used across the Pond, but as a team we had to decide whether the word was suitable for our British magazine.

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In truth our opinions were split, but it prompted an interesting debate. As Maplines continues to grow and reach further corners of our mapped planet, should we as Editors look to edit and standardise our articles or encourage variation, no matter how the locals use their language? We are quite pleased with the outcome on this particular article but we would be interested to hear what you have to say on the matter.

And should you have something to say then do get in touch using the details below. And for the first time you can now scan our email QR code to get an instant link to our hotline here at Maplines HQ. So for the technically savvy amongst us, why not give it a try?

Adam On behalf of Lynda, Martin, Adam and Mark Maplines Editors

Quiz solution: C4

Scan the QR code below to send a message to the Editors’ email

Editorial Contact details: Senior Editor: Lynda Bailey Senior Editor, Design & Production: Martin Lubikowski Editor: Adam King Editor, Design & Production: Mark Sansom

maplines.editors@gmail.com Deadline for copy for the Winter 2011 edition is 14 October The views expressed in Maplines are those of the Editors and Contributors and not necessarily those of the BCS. If you would like to sponsor the Maplines Quiz please contact the Editors. © The British Cartographic Society 2011 The Magazine of the British Cartographic Society

Volume 17, 2nd Issue, Summer 2011 Registered Charity No. 240034

Illustrations in this issue Front Cover: Mark Sansom p6-7: Main photo-©International Road Federation, Underground maps © Tfl from the London Transport Museum collection, Chicago 1946 map, Graham Garfield Collection, courtesy of Chicago-L.org

2 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

p16-17: Alex Kent. p21: Cadcorp p24: Alex Kent, Adam King, Lynda Bailey, Martin Lubikowski All other photography copyright: Lynda Bailey, Martin Lubikowski, Mark Sansom, Adam King or the BCS

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Notes from our President t’s always difficult to find a suitable venue for our Annual Symposium. Our major concern this year was that Shrigley Hall was a bit off the beaten track but our fears were unfounded; attendance was better than in the previous year.

Moreover, because of the location, more people stayed in the hotel which made for more networking and socialising opportunities. The other issue that we have to wrestle with is the cost. There was a time when we would go to a university campus but these are no longer any cheaper than going to somewhere like Shrigley Hall. I appreciate that this is rather expensive for the individual if not paid for by an employer but we have tried to break down the costs so that members can choose when and for how long they attend. There is another important point. The BCS is a professional organisation for professionals and we need to maintain high standards and thereby enhance our reputation.

Nevertheless, we must do our best to ensure that the Symposium remains within the means of members so that, at the very least, they can afford to attend the Gala Dinner and stay overnight if they so wish.

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An alternative way of keeping in touch with other members is to attend the event in London in November which now usually involves the GIS SIG meeting and the AGM. I hope too that my email

reports and the BCS website help to keep members in touch with the Society’s activities.

We continue to make steady progress implementing the recommendations of the Strategic Review. One of the major objectives was to broaden the appeal of Maplines; I hope you agree that Maplines is looking great now! The other issue which I mentioned in my June email report is the cost associated with our membership of the ICA and involvement in the ICA Commissions and Workshops.

Providing the quality of the ICA Conferences remains high then I see no issue with our continued membership but as the universities and the Royal Society have withdrawn their support for the Commissions and Workshops BCS cannot be expected to bridge the financial gap.

On a more positive note there are some really exciting developments.

The Better Mapping series I and II, which we do in association with the AGI, continue to attract about 400 delegates a year which not only brings in some income but results in some new BCS members. The GIS SIG is developing and bringing in a younger group, and again, new members. But the most exciting programme involves schools. At our 2010 Symposium two schools took part in our exercise based on the earthquake in Haiti and using maps,

AGM Notice The BCS AGM and Council Elections will be held at the RAF Club on Tuesday 1st November.

There will be a curry lunch at 12:30 in the President’s Room followed by a GIS Special Interest Group Seminar at 14:00. The BCS AGM will commence at 17:00. Full details will be posted on the BCS website.

The winner of our Spring quiz is Louise Wilson from Edinburgh.

Congratulations Louise, your Mountain High Maps disks are on their way. For the solution see page 2 opposite.

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

satellite images and the internet had to work out how best to bring in aid.

This year, 11 schools came to Shrigley Hall to take part in a similar exercise based on the recent disaster in Japan. The response from the students and the teachers was amazing. One school has asked that the exercise be done for all their Year 10 students and another from the London area has volunteered to host other schools so that pupils in their area can benefit too. We now need to work out how to best develop this project because it is, for sure, the best way we’ve come across so far to promote cartography and the BCS to the younger generation.

Peter Jolly BCS President

Symposium Print Symposium group photo available as a super print: A4 – £10 and A3 – £15 plus £2.50 postage & packing Allow 28 days for delivery To order please contact Martin Lubikowski on the Maplines email address, see page 2.

Maplines / Summer 2011 • 3

‘A Foreign Affair’... map design and international news ‘Dad’s Army!’ was the immediate and enthusiastic response to Mark Georgiou’s question ‘What does this map remind you of?’ Mark, a senior BBC Foreign News producer, opened the Symposium’s Design Group session ‘News Media Mapping: the good, the bad and the ugly’ with some superb archive examples of BBC Television news maps. The audience’s naming of the iconic BBC comedy was in response to a black and white map which used dynamic arrows to indicate troop movements during the Vietnam War. Mark provided an excellent potted history of television news maps, focusing on the increasingly sophisticated animation and multi-media presentations as technologies have developed. He also show-cased some of his own recent multi-media work incorporating maps on the BBC’s website, for example, his excellent collaboration with BBC Science Correspondent David Shukman on Darwin and the Galapagos Islands news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7882134.stm.

Mark provided an excellent ‘warm up’ to the main workshop event, reminding the participants of the journalistic constraints on map production for the news, but also of the potential released by innovations in information technologies.

The main workshop, designed to engage practising cartographers and specialists in the mapping industry in a critical discussion of the role of maps in the news media, evaluated specific examples of news maps in terms of their fitness for purpose and design quality, and to learn from good practice in news map design where possible. Peter Vujakovic, co-convenor of the Design Group, provided a short introduction using specific news stories to show how bias may be introduced maps, intentionally or otherwise. His 4 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

introduction focused on the denotative and connotative elements in map design, especially how maps which have denoted facts correctly can still add bias by their use of connotation. A good example, is the use of red to connote ‘danger’, as used in a map to show global population change (The Independent 9.2.1999, p.7) in which high rates of change were represented in red, as a ‘rising

tide’, while low rates were represented in green, with connotations of calm and stability.

The workshop split into small teams of cartographic practitioners evaluating sets of thematic news maps, usually from a specific period and related to one or more related international stories, e.g. the Sri Lankan government’s suppression of the Tamil Tigers in 2009, or wider global themes concerning the environment or society, e.g. the swine flu pandemic in 2009. The teams provided critical evaluation of both specific cartographic issues, such as appropriate use of projections, and more general design issues, including use of colour and symbolisation.

Maps of the swine flu pandemic in mid-2009 were criticised for their simplicity, with the suggestion that many of the maps were probably generated by default settings, with little or ‘no consideration of the classification of stats (sic), impact of information or clarity’.

The team stated that it ‘look[s] like most of the maps have been created by graphic designers rather than cartographers’, noting for example the confusion caused by figure-ground reversal in one map, which was otherwise regarded as reasonably well designed. Others included redundant features that did not add further to the information content, but created visual clutter and confusion, a feature of popular maps and graphics which Edward Tufte has eloquently designated ‘chart-junk’.

One specific case (The Times, 12.6.2009, p.18-19) represented a classic case study of ‘what not to do’. The graphic involved a very poorly designed choropleth map showing (inappropriately) absolute numbers of cases using a red colour ramp, connoting danger, rather than a ratio showing cases per thousand population. Insult was added to injury by turning the simple world projection into an extreme oblique view and adding redundancy by showing values, already represented by tones of red, by a linear height

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Maps in the media scale, by which each country is shown by a stepped value depending on number of cases of swine flu.

The scale is a simple linear scale (height) but the product, based on raising the area of the country is a visualised volume and totally misleading. The map projection used is not equal-area, further over-emphasising several of the key countries involved, for example Canada and Australia. This and other examples indicate that ‘trigger-happy’ designers are all too ready to use computer software functions simply because they are available, rather than because they make good information-graphics.

In the case of the Sri Lankan government’s assault on the Tamil Tiger’s final stronghold, in the north of the island in early 2009, many maps presented a complex set of issues relating to troop movements, territory gained and lost, and the tragedy of the refugees. The team reviewing this theme commented on the complexity of the issues involved and commented favourably on both the high quality of some aspects of map design, but also noted the ways in which a reader could be misled.

Peter Vujakovic and John Hills in ‘The new Flat-Earthers’, Maplines, Winter 2009).

In conclusion, the workshop acknowledged examples of good practise and eye-catching design in journalistic cartography, but there was a general agreement that errors in basic cartography were an underlying systemic problem.

This conclusion provides the rationale for the reinvigorated Design Special Interest Group, which aims to provide opportunities to evaluate and improve map design and to engage with practitioners, whether trained cartographers or other graphic designers, beyond the confines of the BCS. This Design Group workshop was the first to be organised by the new convenors.

Alex and Peter are keen to promote further events and are looking to develop a steering group and regional network of Design Group members to facilitate this.

Please contact them if you are interested in contributing.

Peter Vujakovic and Alexander Kent Conveners, BCS Design Group peter.vujakovic@canterbury.ac.uk alexander.kent@canterbury.ac.uk

For example, several maps used visually well designed graduated shading to show the Tiger’s loss of territory, but this, according to the team, created a mistaken connotation of the direction of the government’s engagement with the Tigers.

Other themes investigated included the 2009 Pacific tsunami, geopolitics of the Arctic region, and missile defence.

The latter raised the issue of poor use of appropriate map projections. Simple ‘circular’ missile ranges cannot be shown on most standard world projections; it requires the use of a ‘polar-style’ equidistance projection based on the point of launch. Poor use of projection can entirely undermine the message of the map and the related editorial content (this issue is addressed in detail by Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Maplines / Summer 2011 • 5

A world in transit...

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tran·sit noun

a: an act, process, or instance of passing through or over b: change, transition c: (1): conveyance of persons or things from one place to another (2): usu. local transportation especially of people by public conveyance; also: vehicles or a system engaged in such transportation Merriam-Webster online dictionary (USA) After working in France for a year I was able to return home to our small mapping company armed with my experiences of European public transit. For the whole year I relied solely and rather effectively on transport in cities with populations ranging from only 24,000 to millions of people. Whilst my experience was a successful one it is now difficult for me to imagine a car-less life in an American city like Minneapolis, Minnesota; a characteristically sprawled urban area where catching a bus might mean three transfers and being late for work.

are being used to renovate even smaller-city systems, such as that of Asheville, North Carolina, a progressive mountain city towards the southeastern coast. This is good news for us cartographers as many re-design projects are starting at square one: the transit map.

Granted, one should be wary of French train strikes and the Tube getting stuck on Bank Holidays, but in general I found that transit in Europe is, and must be, reliable, a virtue we in the US haven’t particularly been enjoying. If we want to get out of our cars, as we certainly have to, there is a lot of catching up for us Americans to do.

Thankfully, the need for transportation change finally has had its voice heard via legislation. Though the pending transport bill is at a standstill, several stimulus packages around the country 6 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

Schematic maps Essential for transit planning, a map

takes us through every touch-point of a system-building process, starting with comprehending a city’s geography, to deciding on its transit modes and routes, and finally to communicating its identity. Though the task of retaining the city’s recognisable, geographical shape using artfully coded distortion is difficult, the map is the key to making a system run smoothly. Take for example the historic London Tube Map, which failed in usability before Harry’s Beck’s 1933 modern re-design.

Any transit map carries enormous power in defining and changing an individual’s perception of getting around in a city. Like many narrative maps, they invoke a certain trust in their user to the point where they affect planning decisions more than the traveler’s own experience (Zhan Guo, ‘Mind the Map!’). In a study of the London Tube Map done by the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management, it was found that travelers trust the Tube Map for their travel planning twice as much than their own experiences.

Users allow the map’s route coding to affect whether they perceive transfers to be difficult.

The map’s power reaches beyond merely travel planning, for a transit map can define a city’s boundaries and can help rubberstamp areas as being dangerous, rich, or trendy. For example some say Beck’s London Underground design was accepted into use primarily for real estate development (Guo, ‘Mind the map!’).

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Travel mapping

Definition via the iconic map It’s an exciting time for us new cartographers in the United States as many cities are still waiting to be defined through transit and schematic maps. And while digital technologies and Google enter the playing field as competitors, they cannot replace cartography the same way books cannot be replaced by an iPad. On the contrary, new cartographers should take the opportunity to sharpen their software skills and adapt age-old standards to new technologies.

But, where should we hone our skills exactly? What is needed in transit? And can we apply the same standards to rail, bus, and bike maps alike?

Marketing Director at Urban Trans, Laura McGonigal says, ‘new railway systems aren’t being developed’ and ‘the trend is in bus rapid transit.’ She follows the lead of revolutionary urban planner and politician, Jaime Lerner, who implemented the BRT system as mayor of Curitiba.

Buses are extremely effective in the eyes of planners but penalised by

travelers because of their generally complex and confusing maps. Guo mentions, ‘It is difficult to determine the alignment of a bus route and the

locations of stops and terminals,’ and that ‘it is hard to go through all the printouts to identify the best bus route.’

Bus maps are also a challenge because routes are subject to frequent change and need to display a lot of information. At Carticulate, we found designing bus maps was a great exercise in usability and an opportunity to improve transit.

The Chicago 1938 Rapid Transit Lines Map is a great place to look for inspiration on bus maps for American cities. The Chicago Transit Authority makes a habit of consulting customers before making changes to the maps, thereby shaping their target audience when deciding how to integrate a map’s competing elements.

An example we like to follow as good practice in marketing and usability testing.

Colour and communication Studies show that users absorb little of the available information, so we ensure that clear communication of the necessary information is our ultimate goal. For a recent project my business partner and I debated whether or not to include street detail on a bus map.

Guo mentions in his article that adding color to transit lines with high street detail ‘led to greater trip planning accuracy, less perceived difficulty, less frustration, and higher confidence,’ and black and white maps had the opposite affect. In trying to avoid clutter, we decided to go with the San Francisco bus map model.

Peet, O’Malley and Miser, in the article ‘Who Drained the Thames’,

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

stress the need to aid a traveler at every point in their journey, before, during and after the trip. ‘Identifying the customer wants and needs lets you know how to design the map… (using public transit) should be as seamless as operating an iPod.’ They emphasise that a map is in effect the ‘instruction manual’ and you should not need a separate manual to operate it.

McGonigal, who specialises in behaviour change marketing, notes that customer trust is a huge barrier to transit. ‘People need to be sure they’ll get where they want to, they’re looking for mobility.’ The map can provide this security by giving that guarantee through actual geography.

Although we have been focusing on bus maps, other forms of transit such as bike, car-share, tram and light rail are emerging that delve into many other issues. It’s interesting for us to watch the movement of the petition in implementing the new London Cycle Map and I am looking forward to seeing the end results.

It’s refreshing for us newly-graduated and entering the field to see the impact cartography has on transit. To escape the business aspect, and see how we can help people love their cities and get out of their cars is excellent motivation. As young cartographers, our experiences of traveling on and using inexpensive transit systems are greater than most and as a result we are passionate about using and improving it through whatever means we have.

Kate Chanba Carticulate www.carticulatemaps.com Maplines / Summer 2011 • 7

BCS Symposium 2011 hrigley Hall Hotel and Country Club in the beautiful Cheshire countryside was the setting for this year’s Annual Symposium. With fees held for the third consecutive year, delegate numbers were up once again.

We also welcomed a lot of new faces to what proved to be a packed Symposium, which as usual included a host of activities. In addition to the conference programme, which was complemented by the biennial Helen Wallis Lecture, there was the Exhibition, Schools Workshop, GIS SIG workshop, and the inaugural golf championship. The conference theme ‘The Power of the Image’ concentrated on the way in which good cartography can get its message across in a variety of media, this as one delegate commented ‘was well represented in may varied talks throughout the week’ PSNI.

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For the organisers and the hardy few, the event began on Tuesday evening with setting up of the exhibition space, the Awards display and final preparations for the Schools’ ‘Restless Earth Workshop’.

Wednesday saw a very successful reprise of our Schools event and continued that afternoon with the GIS Special Interest Group see page 11.

The Exhibition was officially opened by the Vice President on Wednesday evening and was followed by the Mystery Quiz. The Exhibition has grown considerably over the last few years. As one exhibitor commented ‘this is an ideal event for both networking and learning about new developments’ STAR-APIC. The Quiz was even more devious than last year and in an attempt to defeat the smart phone generation it was mostly based on topics that you just couldn’t Google.

These included making and flying paper aeroplanes and trying to identify fruit tea bag flavours. Despite getting all ten flavours correct the ‘Map Chaps’ lost out to the ‘Uncivil Servants’ by less than a point when all the rounds had been completed.

The conference programme opened on Thursday morning with the Speciality Mapping session which included some fascinating presentations on aspects of mapping that we don’t necessarily always think of. The use of sound 8 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

to provide clues for those who are visually impaired and design decisions at the OS for those who have problems distinguishing colour, proved to be a fascinating insight into how we take things for granted.

Last year, the introduction of the icebreaker proved a popular addition to the programme. As delegates responded so positively, we ran it again this year, although in a dramatically different format. Who would have thought that you could construct a tower almost a metre high just out of jelly babies and cocktail sticks? Some very creative designs were produced, although one or two proved to be a bit too flimsy and didn’t meet the free-standing criterion.

Our workshop session included a visit to Macclesfield Silk Museum, including a chance to view the Escape & Evasion charts printed on silk for aircrew in World War II. For those who stayed at Shrigley the choices were very varied from Mary Spence’s ever-popular cartographic surgery, to statistics on maps, 3D modelling and details on the European INSPIRE initiative.

The afternoon talks examined the current state of cartography in the UK, especially in light of the internet making cartographers of all of us. We were exposed to the huge range of data that is now readily available and what we could use it for and finished with a summary of some of the research that is currently taking place under the auspices of the International Cartographic Association (ICA).

Day one closed with the biennial Helen Wallis Memorial Lecture. This year the lecture was delivered by Peter Barber, Head of Cartographic and Topographic Materials at the British Library and the lead presenter of the BBC’s ‘Beauty of Maps’ series. His excellent presentation on how maps have been used to symbolise so many ideas and beliefs over the years was very fitting for the occasion and the theme.

Thursday evening saw us move to our Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony. The BCS recognises excellence in cartography through its Annual Awards.

Our congratulations go to all this years award winners.

The Friday morning session opened with talks on Cartographic Design, the first of which was a very well received paper on one of our most iconic images, the London Underground Map. We were also asked to think about how we orientate maps and information, especially in schematic maps and the use of language and portrayal to convey meaning clearly to the users.

The workshop session covered a wide variety of topics, including 3D visualisation, field survey integration and maps in the media as well as reprising the popular human geography session from last year.

Something to suit everyone’s taste including a practical field exercise run

by Leica.

The final session on Friday afternoon looked at Symbolisation and Portrayal, with the 3D element again very much to the fore. Presentations from the Met Police and the Cabinet Office highlighted some of the issues surrounding the integration of data and the importance of common portrayal, especially when working with multiple emergency responders.

The hardy few who survived until Saturday morning had a leisurely breakfast and then the even hardier golfers headed off to play on Shrigley’s Golf Course. Described in the flyer as the chance to ’enjoy a relaxing game’, the author obviously hadn’t walked the course to realise just how hilly it is.

Judged by the feedback from delegates, this was another successful Symposium: ‘well run event with excellent informative speakers and workshops.

Very enjoyable couple of days with good networking opportunities’ Environment Systems.

‘Very thought provoking and informative, I thoroughly enjoyed the Symposium’ Defence Geographic Centre.

Finally I would like to thank all our corporate sponsors whose generosity contributes to the Symposium, this year our platinum sponsors where Autodesk, Bentley Systems UK, Cadcorp, Esri UK, Europa Technologies, Ordnance Survey and Victoria Litho.

Continued on page 10...

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

The Power of the Image Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Maplines / Summer 2011 • 9

The President’s Golden Ball

hen it was mentioned at a Council Meeting in 2010 that Shrigley Hall was to be the venue for the 2011 BCS Symposium someone suggested that as Shrigley had a rather good golf course that perhaps a golf competition might be held.

Our President, a keen golfer, had found on his golfing travels in America a golden golf ball on a course somewhere and after further discussion the ‘President’s Golf Ball Trophy’ Golf Competition was initiated.

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So on a fairly sunny, but windy Saturday in June, four intrepid golfers, Andy Wilson, Mark Fairbairn, Peter Jones and myself – unfortunately our President could not be with us – went out to vie for this prestigious trophy. On the first few holes the points were equally shared but it was quite obvious that ‘Lady Luck’ was riding in Andy Wilson’s buggy. At the end of the first nine holes Andy was in the lead followed

by Mark, myself and Peter. The back nine of the course was unfamiliar territory to me, and as Andy and 10 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

Mark were now playing the course for the third time in three days Peter and I followed them. Andy’s skill and luck came into play on these final holes, making pars and even a birdie, Mark and Peter doggedly tried to keep up with him whilst my game faded somewhat. At the end of the day our worthy winner with 39 points was Andy Wilson, followed by Mark Fairbairn, myself and Peter Jones.

An extremely good day was had by all, some good and some bad golf was played but I believe all four of us thoroughly enjoyed it and we are all looking forward to next year with perhaps of few more competitors.

My only claim to fame (shame) was that during a practice nine holes on the Friday, pure laziness on my part caused me to shank a shot and I hit the buggy I was using and put a small chip in the windscreen much to the amusement of Messrs Wilson and Fairbairn.

Roger Hore BCS Administrator

...continued from page 8 Gold sponsors included GIS Professional, Imray and STAR-APIC. Silver sponsors were Global Mapping, Newgrove and Steer Davies Gleave.

We are starting work now on Symposium 2012; we haven’t yet finalised a venue, so keep an eye out on the BCS website. We look forward to welcoming even more of you next year.

Pete Jones Chair, Programme Committee

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

BCS Symposium 2011

GIS Special Interest Group he aim of the GIS SIG at the Symposium was to discuss the challenges of 3D visualisation and how cartographic thinking has a role to play in this increasingly important area.

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Questions of how best to resolve conflicting features such as ‘billboard’ text and how to depict features that are being obscured were raised, if not fully answered.

Representatives from the British Geological Survey, Google, Luciad and Esri Inc showcased their work and the tools that they utilise to create 3D scenes. Geology, airspace and university campus mapping provide differing challenges for the

data modeller, the cartographer and the end user.

The technical presentations were complemented by an open discussion on the challenges of modelling 3D data, lead by Seppe Cassettari of the GeoInformation Group. Increasingly organisations using 3D data want to perform accurate analyses such as ‘line of sight’. How can we capture accurate data in an economical manner?

Seppe provided good food for thought for all those interested in working in this area.

The workshop showcased a selection of the leading edge

applications for 3D visualisation techniques available to the GIS community. Quality of data, usability and cartographic visualisation provided the theme for all presenters. I’m sure we will see these technologies evolve rapidly over the coming years.

3D cartography is an area that should not be ignored as it will inevitably provide members of the society with some unique challenges which will only be resolved through innovative thinking and design.

Rob Sharpe Convener, GIS SIG

‘The Restless Earth’ Schools Event ollowing the success of the ‘Restless Earth Workshop’ for schools last year, we ran the event again this year on the Wednesday morning. So successful had it been last year in fact that demand far outstripped the available places, with the maximum of six schools signed up for each of the two sessions.

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The scenario was basically the same

as last year, simply relocated halfway around the World from Haiti to Japan. Basing the disaster response exercise in and around Sendai, the first challenge for the schools was that most of the hardcopy mapping was in Japanese. They all rose to the task very well, however, and after an initial period of mild panic the room was soon buzzing as the teams worked out how to get their map completed.

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Very positive feedback from staff and pupils alike would suggest that we have hit upon a winning formula.

We will be looking to develop the exercise between Symposia by taking it out to schools in order to open it up to far more students.

Pete Jones Chair, Programme Committee

Maplines / Summer 2011 • 11

The BCS Awards

• The Avenza Award for Electronic Mapping Products given to the Ordnance Survey for their product ‘OS VectorMap™ District (BETA)’

• The prestigious BCS Award and the Stanfords Award for Printed Mapping Products was given to Global Mapping for their product ‘The Environmental World’.

• The Henry Johns Award, presented to the author of the best article published in The Cartographic Journal during the year, was given to Helen Jenny, Bernhard Jenny and Lorenz Hurni for their article ‘Interactive 3D Maps with Progressive Projection’.

• The John C. Bartholomew Award for Small Scale Mapping presented to Dr Kenneth Field for ‘The Beautiful Game: A World of Football’

Entry forms for the 2012 BCS Awards will be available on the BCS website from 1 September 2011 12 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Steve Lambe recently became the BCS Awards Officer, presiding over his first Awards ceremony at this year’s Symposium, which is where we caught up with him.

Q: Steve, you’re our new Awards Officer. How did you get the role?

A: About two years ago Cliff Nicklin telephoned me one Sunday afternoon to suggest that I give it and the Membership Committee a go. So I did.

Q: How has your first full year as Awards Officer been?

A: I’ve been told ’You’ve cracked it…!’ It’s been a busy year for me so I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to meet the commitment but the BCS has been incredibly supportive and someone has always been there to help called either Ken, Roger, Claire or Fiona. So I’ve learnt from them what I needed to. I can’t thank them enough.

Q: What was the main thing you learnt?

A: Buy quality blu-tack…

that because they use GIS they can map things well.

We just have to be mindful and remember good cartographic practices and principles and see that they are not forgotten, that’s why the BCS is so important.

Q: What is your day job?

A: I’m the Mapping Manager in Environmental Services at Worcestershire County Council, to overview and coordinate the mapping functions of the directorate, and where possible to bring about the integration of systems. The Director of Environmental Services, John Hobbs who understands the importance of good mapping and the role GIS has to play in the directorate’s business has put gas under the idea and driven it forward.

At the moment I’m heavily involved with the mapping element of the Flood & Water Management Act 2010, so I’ll be busy for sometime to come, it’s a constantly evolving area of work, and one that has

September this year, we’ll be accepting entries right up until the closing date at the end of March 2012. I’m already speaking with the Sponsors to see how we can work together to promote the Awards and raise awareness. I also want to see more international entries.

Q: And the future? How might the Awards develop?

A: From my point of view the Awards ceremony is going to get a revamp.

I want the audience to see the

Five mins with our new Awards Officer Q: What started your interest in geographical information?

A: In cartography I’d have to say Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Why? Well until I saw that film as a youngster I’d never thought someone actually made maps, they were just there, sheets of lines that helped you get lost on holiday. Watch it and you’ll see what I mean.

Q: How long have you worked with geographical information?

A: I’ve worked in local authority for nearly 25 years; most of that time has been spent in Planning, Property or Highways & Countryside; surveying and researching data which I’d later map. So all the way from pen and ink to GIS. Q: Which do you prefer?

A: As a hobby, I paint in water colours and oils, so without wanting to sound like a Luddite, pen, ink and a good drawing board can’t be beaten...mmm, the smell of ink in the morning! But GIS has its place and is the future; it’s only a tool. I feel the term GIS is overused and has lead to a lot of people thinking

allowed me to bring good cartography to good use.

Q: SatNav or paper maps?

A: I recently borrowed a SatNav that told me to turn the wrong way on to a new one-way system in Reading; thankfully I realised in time. I blame the machines, they make you lazy.

Paper maps make you consider your route and are reliable; you can’t beat a good map.

Q: Favourite Map? A: One that hangs high on a wall in my accountant’s office. It’s hand drawn and is more a work of art, an original. I’ve never figured out where it portrays, and I’ve never asked, the mystery of it makes it special.

Q: Can you tell us about next year’s Awards?

A: I’m currently working on a number of proposals for the BCS Council to consider. There are changes to how we do things, suggestions for everyone to work on and consider as a team, the main one being bringing the opening date of the Awards forward, so from 1st

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

winning maps projected up on a big screen. I’d also like to have videos of the winners’ entries talking about their map, the purpose of it and the process that went into making it; also projected up on a big screen, just before they accept their award.

I think it would modernise and add interest to an already fun occasion.

I also want to see the sponsors more involved with the presentation of their awards. And possibly the addition of a new award but that is still in the early stages.

Q: Any thoughts about the role of the Awards in the BCS’s 50th Anniversary in 2013?

A: Yes, too many to go through here but its going to be a very special occasion. I’d like to see the 50th Anniversary marked with a new award to celebrate the occasion, something to mark a significant contribution to cartography award, but as I say, it’s still early days.

Once I have firm ideas, then I’ll let everyone know, so keep reading Maplines and visit the BCS website.

Maplines / Summer 2011 • 13

Better Mapping...

24 March, 2011 and the British Cartographic Society (BCS) finally made it across the pond to Northern Ireland to host another seminar in the successful Better Mapping Series. For this inaugural seminar for the region, a total of 29 eager delegates punctually arrived at Colby House, Land & Property Services (LPS), the HQ of Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland Mapping and were warmly welcomed by our Programme Committee Chairperson, Peter Jones MBE and the Acting Director of Data, Information and Systems, Trevor Steenson.

The idea of these seminars is to impart the message that maps can often be improved to make a better product, but also to help communicate to anyone who works with maps some tips and suggestions that they can take into their basic design. To help achieve this, a full programme had been arranged, mixing Home and Away Teams of expert presenters who introduced a wide range of topics and methods to the forum. The Home Team being a selection of local presenters from NI discussing examples of their work and experience. The Away Team consisted of expert BCS presenters explaining and demonstrating the principles of good cartographic The Away Team Mary Spence MBE, Global Mapping Giles Darkes, Cartographic Consultant Clare Seldon, Steer Davies Gleave Peter Jones MBE, Defence Geographic Centre

The Home Team Trevor Steenson, LPS (OSNI) Claire McGinn, Geological Survey NI (GSNI) Davie Cairns, Police Service of Northern Ireland Valerie Miskimmon MBE, LPS (OSNI)

14 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

practice in both digital and hard copy mapping.

Short, well constructed, 20 minute presentations throughout the day kept the audience fresh, interested and well informed. This also ensured that there was little slippage on the timetable.

The first session kicked off with Mary Spence introducing some examples of good and bad mapping and discussing what makes these good or bad. Giles Darkes took over with a look at the history of it all, explaining Projections and Datums (which in 20 minutes is no mean feat!). Clare Seldon was next, explaining how to source good data with a few examples and useful links.

The final presentation of the session was from Claire McGinn, who ably demonstrated how GSNI and BGS have been working to improve the imaging of Geochemical Data.

After coffee and scones, the second session was again started and this time finished by Mary who introduced the principles of good map design and then progressed this theme after Trevor Steenson had spoken. Trevor discussed the continued need for paper mapping in a digital society and the lessons we draw from this need. He gave a very relevant point of where nearly every one who goes to a strange town picks up a ‘freebee’ map to see where they are (and this is still better than the digital alternatives). At last lunch!

During the buffet lunch, delegates had the opportunity to visit the GSNI 3D Immersive Suite in Colby House and be shown examples of terrain modelling under water, subsurface and on the surface of Northern Ireland by Claire McGinn. A fascinating 3D view of the spectacular offshore seabed around Rathlin Island in Co. Antrim was shown and there was also a demonstration of a LIDAR scan of the underground Marble Arch cave network in Co. Fermanagh. The purpose of the 3D demos was to illustrate how mapping had advanced from paper to digital. Claire illustrated how the GSNI has advanced their mapping by moving from 2D cross sections to 3D

models showing the cross sections and their volumes. It was also demonstrated how field surveyors can use the software to carry out desktop analyses to be more efficient in the field and reduce costs and time.

After lunch Clare Seldon looked at the main principles in designing for the web and multiple products. She discussed the age old problem of Time versus Quality versus Money when designing new products. My turn on the lectern next, to present how and why PSNI survey and map scenes of serious crime. By demonstrating cartography and imaging from a recent Murder Case I was able to show how courts have benefited from better interaction with digital evidence. Mary closed this session with the last of her guides to the principles of good map design. ‘It is now fair to say that we all understand the term Figure-ground after this!’

The final session of presentations started with a table top critique on sample maps, good and bad. Steered

by Giles, this progressed to a group discussion using each sample map as an example of what works well and of course what just doesn’t work cartographically. Giles went on to discuss with the group how best to present data using mapping to ensure that accurate figures are all that they seem. Mary summarised the day with a quick run through of the basic principles of cartographic design and good mapping. To sum up in Mary’s words;

• • •

Poor mapping = poor communication Poor communication = poor decision making And poor decision making leads to goodness knows what

As Peter Jones concluded and passed on his thanks to the speakers and in particular Valerie Miskimmon who had facilitated the Seminar on behalf of LPS (OSNI), the delegates completed an evaluation sheet for the BCS. We asked attendees to rate us on nine separate topics and achieved 95% or better, rating us Good or above (V Good

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

...is Belfast any better? and Excellent) on all nine categories.

In fact we scored 100% on Topics, Speakers, Organisation and Value for Money. Of a total of 246 individual marks only 5 were ‘Fair’ and none were ‘Poor’.

The seminar delegates came from: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Development, DOE Planning Service, Waterways Ireland, Mapping Service – Forest Service, Land & Property Services, Analytical Services Unit – Department for Social Development, NISRA, Northern Ireland Environment Agency and last but by no means least Mapping Section – Police Service Northern Ireland. I’ve included here some of the comments from people who were happy for their comments to be used. I’ve obviously picked out some of the best, but they were all positive.

‘excellent presentations - definitely helps day to day work’ ‘most enjoyable and enlightening filled in lots of gaps - thank you’ ‘very informative: nice friendly relaxed atmosphere’ ‘gave a good insight into what makes better looking and functional maps’ ‘I found this seminar very interesting. I definitely gained new techniques for creating digital maps particularly within a GIS’ All attendees were presented with a copy of the BCS booklet, Cartography: an introduction, which I recommend to anyone who does

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

not possess a copy as yet. One delegate (who will remain nameless, but you know who you are!) welcomed this gift as a reason not to take notes during the course of the day.

In my opinion the day was a resounding success and lays a firm marker for future BCS events in Northern Ireland. My thanks must go the Away Team; Peter, Mary, Giles and Clare for taking the time to come over to host the day. To the Home Team, Trevor and Claire (can’t thank myself) for their presentations and lastly Valerie and all the LPS staff for their warm welcome back to Colby House.

Davie Cairns Senior Mapping Officer Police Service of Northern Ireland Home Team Member

Maplines / Summer 2011 • 15

ICC Paris 2011: a reflection rom 3rd to 8th July, over 1,300 delegates from all around the world descended upon the ‘City of Light’ to gain an ‘enlightened view on cartography and GIS’ at the 25th International Cartographic Conference (ICC) of the International Cartographic Association (ICA). The event marked the 50th anniversary of the first General Assembly of the ICA, held in Paris in 1961. This time, the main conference venue was the Palais de Congrès, an enormous modern building located to the northwest of the city, which has played host to a number of distinguished international events – not least the Eurovision Song Contest in 1978!

F

16 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

The scientific programme of the conference was, as might be expected, enormously wide ranging, with several hundred presentations.

These included a special session celebrating the work of French cartographer Jacques Bertin (1918 – 2010), which was attended by members of his immediate family.

With up to 10 sessions running in parallel, there were hard decisions to be made about what to see.

My personal highlights included the development of new software for rock-drawing, ...by Bernhard Jenny (Switzerland), who, when asked if the Swiss might consider adopting methods derived from other national traditions, remarked that such an approach was unlikely because ‘we will do it the Swiss way’. Another was the study undertaken by Paulo Raposo and Cynthia Brewer (United States) comparing various designs for a new series of USGS (United States Geological Service) topographic maps to incorporate aerial imagery, which revealed that the landscape held more sway over users than the cartography!

As a presenter, I was particularly pleased to discover the Parisian

method of controlling speakers was more familiar to me than the traffic lights of doom at ICC 2009.

At each end of the week, I had the honour of representing the UK at the ICA General Assembly meetings alongside David Forrest. Not only did these offer a privileged insight into the workings of the ICA, and the truly international nature of the organisation and its activities, but also the opportunity to vote on a range of issues, from changing Bulgaria’s national representation to the ICA to deciding the location of ICC 2015.

Counting the votes sometimes took a while and it was good to see at least

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

ICA 2011

one ICA Vice-President making good use of his time by reading our national report in the Cartographic Journal.

Aside from the scientific presentations and delegate meetings, there were opportunities to attend technical visits and enjoyable social events at interesting venues. For example, the visit to IGN (Institut Géographique National) provided a thorough exposition of the current activities of the state mapping agency and an opportunity to see cartographers proudly working on the ‘fourth map of France’, no doubt in the spirit of Cassini.

Paris exudes vitality and there seems to be a real energy emanating from the city, ...which helped to sustain many a long walk in the wee hours, often due to the Metro shutting rather abruptly, an experience of mine not too dissimilar to that of Moscow in 2007. Having said this, I should note that my enthusiasm for joining a scheduled walk along the Paris Meridian swiftly evaporated when I realised that it began at 6.30am and not 6.30pm.

For me, the most fascinating event was a drinks reception in the Musée National de la Marine at the Place du Trocadero, in which delegates mingled alongside Napoleon’s barge and exquisitely detailed model ships from different ages.

Later in the week, a special reception for national representatives and

commission chairs was held at the German Embassy for a preview of ICC Dresden in 2013. Speaking of the international role of cartography with eloquence, the Science Attaché was accompanied, rather amusingly, by a film playing in the background that promoted Dresden and illustrated various inventions to which the city had given birth, including the bra and filter cigarettes.

Towards the end of the conference, the Bibliothèque national de France provided the venue for the much anticipated ‘Gala Evening’.

Unfortunately, being an evening of aperitifs, it fell rather short in meeting the expectations of the delegates, the size of whose appetites echoed the venue’s huge pair of Coronelli globes made for the Sun King Louis XIV in 1683.

The international exhibitions of the ICC showcase the latest developments in the industry

which was described by the judges as ‘cheeky’!

In all, ICC 2011 was an excellent conference, with a good range of high quality presentations and exhibitions.

In talking to delegates and sharing in their enthusiasm, what struck me the most was the passion and identity that continues to fire and shape our field.

This conference marks the end of Prof.

William Cartwright’s successful leadership of the ICA, with Prof. Georg Gartner of Vienna Technical University (TU Wien) taking over as the new President in the Closing Ceremony.

Having participated in his series of successful Symposia in Vienna, I look forward to seeing how Prof. Gartner will steer the ICA and have no doubt that the international standing of cartography will continue to go from strength to strength.

Alexander Kent alexander.kent@canterbury.ac.uk

...and also display the best examples of cartographic products, which compete for a series of international prizes. It was noticeable that electronic mapping products in the map exhibition were still not adequately catered for, which is a pity when the genre is not only firmly established but constitutes the nature of ubiquitous mapping today.

As usual, the quality of exhibitors and maps was extremely high and it was particularly pleasing to see a UK entrant win the Thematic Map category - Ken Field’s The Beautiful Game,

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Maplines / Summer 2011 • 17

Omnium Gatherum

Legends The purpose of a legend is to explain map symbols. Not all maps need a legend, but the more technical or specialist the map, the more it’s likely to need one. Any legend should be comprehensive and include all the symbols shown on the map, even if they are familiar; only omit basic information (like roads and rivers) if you really don’t have room. Symbols should be shown in the legend exactly the same size, colour and manner as on the map.

Gough Map The AHRC-funded Linguistic Geographies project website featuring the late medieval Gough Map of Great Britain is now up and running at: www.goughmap.org The site's features include amongst other things: • A zoomable, pan-able digital version of the Gough Map – this map is fully searchable and browse-able by place name (current and medieval) and also by geographical features. Once clicking on a chosen location, information regarding that location's geographical appearance, etymology, appearance on earlier maps, and much, much more is revealed • A series of essays discussing the map • Latest news • A report on the recent 'Language of Maps' colloquium held in Oxford, 23-25 June • A blog This is an outcome of the collaborative project involving Queen's University Belfast, Kings College London, and the Bodleian Library.

The Gough Map and MapHist articles appear courtesy of The Map Room weblog, © 2011 Jonathan Crowe under a Creative Commons Licence.

18 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

Legends for thematic maps need to reflect the type of data shown. If the information is qualitative (like land use or vegetation) then often the legend looks more authoritative if the coloured legend boxes are MapHist MapHist, the Map History Discussion List, is an e-mail discussion group whose primary focus is historical maps, atlases, globes and other cartographic documents. The list is open to all persons interested in the history of cartography and discussion is encouraged on all aspects of this broad subject.

The primary purpose of MapHist is to encourage individuals to communicate current research; evaluate methods and tools of analysis; announce important acquisitions and news; announce position vacancies; announce new publications; investigate library holdings; and to share information between conferences and the appearance of relevant journals.

separated, showing that each item is discrete. In contrast, if the information is quantitative (ranked statistical data), then the legend boxes should adjoin. Decide if the highest value is going to be at the bottom or, more usually, at the top.

The labels should either show the data range for each box (201–300) or the cartographer can label the breaks between classes, which may make the legend easier to read. If you are showing proportional symbols (such as scaled circles or squares) then the legend should show at least three representative symbols which often include the smallest and largest symbol used.

David Irvine – Travelling Cartographer As Maplines only comes out three times a year, much water goes under the bridge between issues.

You can imagine my surprise when I logged on to David’s blog to discover that he was now walking from John O’Groats to Land’s End!! The last time I looked he was in the southern hemisphere. The blog has all the details. We will try to pin him down and see if he will give us a detailed account of his travels for a future issue of Maplines.

Follow David’s travels on his blog on: http://davetreks.blogspot.com where there are many wonderful photographs.

Visit: www.maphist.nl

The Lost Rivers of London #10 Black Ditch: Possibly rising near Spitalfields, this river ran to Mile End, curving into Poplar to end in the Thames at Limehouse Dock. It may have been known by other names but by the late 18th century, it was called the Black Ditch.

Hucknall ML Design recently produced an illustrated map of Hucknall town centre for the Hucknall Tourism and Regeneration Group. This is part of the effort to bring new life to former mining areas.

Contributions to Omnium Gatherum are always welcome. If you have any map-related stories, facts or announcements please send them to Martin Lubikowski on the Editors’ email address, see page 2.

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Courtesy of www.strangemaps.wordpress.com

Notes from the Carto-Guru

When considering the layout of a legend, group related features together. For example, anything to do with railways (track symbols, stations, level crossings, etc.) should appear together. It’s also usual to group symbols of the same graphic type together where appropriate, so all the point symbols should be in the same part of the legend and likewise the line and the area symbols.

a miscellaneous collection of people and things

The London Mapping Festival 2011 – 2012 Pass it On...

Earlier this year The British Cartographic Society was happy to sign up as one of the first official Supporters of the London Mapping Festival (LMF, as it has come to be known). You may have heard of LMF, maybe you attended the launch or if you were at the Symposium in June you would have had the opportunity to see the festival’s History of London in Maps exhibition.

So what is LMF? LMF is an exciting and unique collaboration between all parts of the mapping and geographical communities to promote greater awareness and understanding of how maps and digital geographical data are created and used. The Festival launch on 6th June 2011 at the British Computer Society in Covent Garden included very amusing and hugely informative talks by Simon Calder, Senior Travel Editor, The Independent, TV & Radio Broadcaster, and Nigel Woof, Chief Executive of Map Action. The Festival will run until the end of 2012, to celebrate the UK’s mapping community, including cartography, GPS, remote sensing and aerial photography, GIS and surveying.

How is LMF run?

LMF is not run by one organisation but by a steering group which acts as an umbrella and includes representatives from the commercial, academic and learned society sectors. Several BCS members are on the steering group including our President Peter Jolly.

Any organisation with an interest in

mapping or related technologies is welcome to sign up as an LMF Supporter and be part of this exciting initiative. Currently we have over 40 Supporters including London Transport Museum, Steer Davies Gleave, AGI, TAG Fine Arts, London Map Fairs and Blue Fox Technologies.

What will LMF do?

LMF draws together and cross-promotes a whole range of existing events that are currently run by LMF Supporters around the capital. For the duration of the Festival all these events will advertise the LMF logo and in return they will be promoted by the LMF team, in the monthly enewsletter, on Twitter and on the LMF website, thereby publicising the event to a wider audience. For example, the GIS Special Interest Group Meeting planned for November is already part of the LMF calendar.

Throughout LMF Supporters will arrange some additional activities that complement the existing event calendar. These include a mapping based pub quiz, geocaching routes, and activities for schools. The Festival will be officially closed on 10 January 2013 with a grand charity dinner at Canary Wharf in aid of the festival’s chosen charity MapAction www.mapaction.org.

How can you get involved with LMF? There are two ways to get involved, either as an organisation or as an individual. In both cases first visit www.londonmappingfestival.org to

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

find out more about LMF. As an organisation join us as a Supporter. The Supporter’s fee is just £200 (+VAT if VAT registered).

The minimum exposure this provides is your logo and company description on the LMF website. The maximum is entirely up to you; contributions to the enewsletter and events, running new activities or simply providing a venue, giveaways etc.

As an individual you are welcome to attend any of the events advertised on the calendar, some are free to attend others have a delegate fee.

To ensure you are amongst the first to hear about new events sign up the e-newsletter, www.londonmappingfestival.org/newsletter/ or follow us on Twitter (#lmfest).

And Finally As an official supporter BCS is committed to promoting the festival as widely as possible. Please help us do this by letting others know about it and encouraging your friends, family or work colleagues to get involved. In the words of the festival slogan ‘Pass it on…’

If there is one word we have heard over and over again when talking to prospective supporters it is the word ‘exciting’. This unique collaboration promises to be exciting, innovative and just lots of fun. Join in and be part of what will be a unique opportunity for the UK mapping community to tell the world all about what it does.

Fiona Cocks Lead Coordinator of the LMF Steering Group

Maplines / Summer 2011 • 19

People • Companies • Products

Tour & Trail Maps on Digital Platforms avid Brawn is pleased to report the successful negotiation of partnering agreements with two of the UK’s leading digital mapping platforms, Memory Map and Mapyx Quo.

D

‘We have been working on the agreements since meeting at the Outdoors Trade Show last year, so it is very pleasing to report successful agreements with these leading UK companies. Tour & Trail Maps, conventionally published by Discovery Walking Guides Ltd, will now be available as direct digital downloads to more than 300,000 clients of Memory Map and Quo. This gives my Tour & Trail mapping a vastly increased reach in the digital market place and I expect this to also be reflected in an increase in conventional map sales of Tour & Trail Maps’.

Memory Map and Mapyx Quo agreements have coincided with a batch of new Tour & Trail Maps being published for La Gomera, La Palma, Axarquia and Tenerife Hikers’ Maps, all these new editions being ‘Super-Durable’ versions printed on Polyart.

David, and DWG, have a unique view on the link between digital and printed maps: ‘We see a synergy between digital and printed products.

What you see on screen is also the map you want to unfold across your desk/table for overall planning of your adventures. Every time a client downloads a digital map we will expect them to buy the printed version in the near future, unlike other map publishers who see a ‘digital sale’ as a ‘lost printed sale’.

Since Tour & Trail Maps have been offered as digital downloads we have seen a very satisfying increase in our printed map sales.’

conventional printed map will be a spin off from the digital project. In the immediate future I will be producing new T&T mapping in printed and digital versions along with interactive resort map apps while DWG is working on wholly digital versions of our ‘Walk!’ guide books which will be downloadable complete with Tour & Trail mapping as apps downloading direct onto smart phones.’

David’s comment on the future of cartography and mapping could ring true for many BCS members. ‘Digital has presented cartographers with a wonderful opportunity to use their skills and expertise producing the mapping and map applications people want to use without the expense of conventional map publication. Thanks to GPS equipped smart phones the market for these new cartographic apps is numbered in millions of users and growing daily.

Even the most esoteric of mapping ideas could find a viable smart phone market even though the conventional equivalent printed map might be declared ‘uneconomic’.

In these exciting digital times I am confident we will see the rise of new cartographic entrepreneurs delivering their products (low price or free) in digital apps form to the rapidly expanding smart phone market.’

David Brawn Discovery Walking Guides

‘Digital has revolutionised how maps are used, just think sat-nav, while publishing is being reluctantly revolutionised by digital downloads, think Kindle. I have an interesting test project producing interactive resort maps that will be published as smart phone apps while the 20 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Corporate News People • Companies • Products STEER DAVIES GLEAVE Steer Davies Gleave sponsored the International Cartographic Association’s Workshop on ‘User Issues in Geospatial Public Transport Information’, which was held in Paris on July 1-2.

This was the first international workshop focusing on the use and usability of public transport maps, websites and mobile services. The two day event incorporated presentations, discussion sessions and a display of maps and websites. Steer Davies Gleave’s Clare Seldon presented two papers at the workshop: • Empowering users to make alternative travel choices: a look New Managing Director for UK GIS company Cadcorp

•

at how Geospatial information can aid that decision process Automation tools for the production of public transport maps: a Roman tale

The workshop also saw Steer Davies Gleave demonstrate their online journey planning capabilities, looking at how users can access real-time, dynamically sourced public transport information in order to plan a journey.

More information on the outcomes of the Workshop will be available at www.univie.ac.at/icacomuse More about Steer Davies Gleave www.steerdaviesgleave.com Martin’s abilities to continue to build on our success.’

Cadcorp, the UK based developer and supplier of GIS and web mapping software, has appointed Dr. Martin McGarry as Managing Director.

The appointment was announced recently by CEO, Mike O’Neil. ‘It is a logical progress for both Martin and Cadcorp,’ he explained. ‘Martin has nine years’ service with the company and in that time has done an excellent job as Sales and Marketing Director and more recently as Operations Director. It was always the intention that Martin would take over the role of Managing Director. As Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO, I continue overall management of the company which we founded 20 years ago. I have every confidence in

Martin McGarry joined Cadcorp in 2002 as Sales and Marketing Manager, prior to which he had spent five years as managing director at Informatix Software International Ltd. in Cambridge.

With a PhD in civil engineering from the University of Leeds, he began his career in computing as a programmer with Applied Research of Cambridge where he worked on the GDS system. He continued his career with Amazon Computers, McDonnell Douglas, EDS, Hewlett Packard and the Convergent Group before joining Informatix in 1997.

Richard Spooner Cadcorp www.cadcorp.com

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

BCS has nearly 70 Corporate Members including GI system suppliers, map publishers, value-added re-sellers, government departments, agencies and trading funds, emergency services and academia, representing a wide diversity of cartography, map making and geographical information science.

My first contact with Corporate Members was in the Spring when I canvassed for their support in sponsoring the 2011 Symposium.

Some members I have known for many years; others were new to me. I was pleasantly surprised at the enthusiasm shown towards BCS and the way they stepped up to the plate with sponsorship of one kind or another. This kind of support is vital if the Society is to continue to prosper and grow.

Thank you!

I will be contacting all Corporate Members after the summer break to explore how they will gain value and benefit from advertising in Maplines. I would encourage you all to place articles, press releases and advertising in Maplines which has a developing readership in the UK and abroad.

I would therefore encourage you all to consider Maplines as a cost effective way of communicating with the wider UK cartographic community.

John Pepper Corporate Liaison Officer

Advertising in Maplines connects directly to key decision makers in the UK Cartographic community.

For more details contact the Editors: maplines.editors@gmail.com Maplines / Summer 2011 • 21

BCS Admin Report Subscriptions There are four methods of payment: • on-line at www.cartography.org.uk • personal cheque payable to The British Cartographic Society (or for Overseas Members a Sterling Draft payable in London).

• Visa/Mastercard/Delta credit/debit card. You can do this over the phone to the Admin Office (0115 9328684).

• Standing Order (UK bank account holders only).

Receipts are being sent out as usual but please note that membership cards will only be replaced if lost or damaged.

New Members: The Society has the pleasure of welcoming the following new members who have joined the Society since publication of the Spring 2011 edition of Maplines.

Corporate Members: Croydecycle, EOSGIS SL (Spain) Nick Rowland Associates IM&GIS Royal Haskoning Queensland Department of Transport UK Members: Dr M. Athanson, Mr D.P. Atkinson, Mr J. Bartholomew, Dr B.J.F. Clark, Mr G. Da Rios, Mr D. Eamer, Mr M. Garritty, Mrs A. Gentleman, Mr M.J. Hagger, Dr J. Harley, Mr M. Longman, Mr C. Patchett, Mrs L Sawyer, Miss J.C.A. Sprague, Mr S Turner.

Overseas Members: Mr P. Fay (USA), Mr S. Gates (Australia), Mr P. Halton (Ireland), Mr R.H.P. Smith (Spain) Mr P. Wilson (USA).

Honorary Fellows: At its meeting in June 2011, Council was pleased to award Fellowship status to Mr Alan Godfrey MBE. BCS Council As reported in the Winter Edition of Maplines the next round of BCS Council elections will take place in November, if any member wishes to be nominated they are reminded that all nomination forms must be returned by 1 September 2011.

Forms can be obtained from the Administrator.

Administrators Plea Over the past few months members may have noticed that I have been sending out a lot of emails and, although I believe that I have ‘fine tuned’ the address lists the occasional one or two are being returned with ‘undeliverable – address not found’. So if you have changed your email address or are about to in the near future please let your Administrator know at admin@cartography.org.uk.

And finally...

As I start one of my busiest times of the year – preparing the end of year accounts!! I can look back on the

few happy days I spent in early June at the BCS Symposium at Shrigley Hall near Macclesfield in Cheshire.

My home is not too far away from Shrigley, some 50 miles, and to get there my journey took me through parts of The Peak District National Park and on the route between Buxton and Whalley Bridge driving along the Goyt Valley I saw some of the most fantastic views ever and I would recommend members to try the same.

The Symposium was just as good as ever and I always look forward to the opportunity to meet old and make new acquaintances and this year was no exception. I think the organising team can feel very proud of themselves for such a well run event. My feet, as small as they are, seem to have a problem with stairs and Shrigley Hall seems to have an abundance of them; after four days I lost count of how many times I tripped on them.

I am hoping for all of us that we enjoy a good Summer. The weather of late has not been too good which is perhaps a good thing in that I can get on with the accounts and not look enviously at my wife sun bathing in the garden.

My regards to you all.

Roger Hore, BCS Administrator

Calendar 22nd Jul 2011 - 31st Aug 2011 Out of the Shadows: MacDonald (‘Max’) Gill decorative map posters and visual genius University Gallery. For the first time in many decades a wide range of Max Gill’s extraordinary works will be brought together through a pioneering exhibition at the University of Brighton Gallery.

Hosted by the University’s Faculty of Arts, it will display decorative maps and other selected material. Open from 22 July, this rich visual panorama will provide a long overdue opportunity to appreciate the work of a remarkable, influential and multi-talented artist, designer and architect of the first half of the twentieth century.

22 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

An important one-day symposium, drawing on a wide range of personal, professional and historical expertise in the field will be held on 22 July to coincide with the opening of the exhibition. This will provide an opportunity to share, promote and encourage research and scholarly activity about Max Gill and his work.

You may also be interested in the blog post of the conservation and archive team member on this exhibition project, Sirpa Kutilainen.

Visit the diary/blog Conserving the Archive. Further enquiries about the exhibition and the symposium should be addressed to: Madeleine Meadows: m.j.meadows@brighton.ac.uk

The London Mapping Festival (LMF) 2011 – 2012 Open to Everyone An 18 month programme of activities designed to promote the unique range of mapping, innovative technologies and applications that exist for the Capital.

For more information see article on page 19.

For more information see: www.londonmappingfestival.org

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

Calendar 5 – 7 September 2011 Society of Cartographers’ 47th Annual Summer School University of Plymouth, UK For more information see: http://soc2011.soc.org.uk/ 7 – 8 September 2011 How to do more with less: promoting and running a map collection in a time of austerity Map Curators’ Group (MCG) Annual Workshop Park Inn, York.

How is your map collection succeeding with less money and fewer staff? Come and share your positive experiences with your colleagues!

The programme, which is to be confirmed, will include map collections: • using free software to enhance their user experience or improve efficiency, • collaborating with other departments in their institutions, • undertaking co-operative ventures with other institutions in order to achieve results with reduced resources.

For more information see: www.cartography.org.uk September 15, 2011 Oxford In 1712, the antiquary and diarist Thomas Hearne was appointed Keeper of the Anatomy School, now the main reference area in the Lower Reading Room of the Bodleian Library. In 1721, he wrote a list of its contents, among which was ‘A very odd mapp of China. Very large, & taken from Mr. Selden’s’. This is what we now know as the Selden Map of China.

It was left to University of Oxford by the London lawyer John Selden in 1659, and has been famous as an interesting curiosity ever since.

Rana Mitter, Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China, announces a Colloquium about the map 0930-1830 in the Convocation House, The Bodleian Library. Attendance is free.

To register, please email: bookcentre@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

17 September 2011 Dip Geog Reunion Putteridge Bury Campus, University of Bedfordshire, UK. The event commences 11am with buffet lunch. £30 per head.

For more information contact Ian Nancollas on: ian.nancollas@beds.ac.uk October 13, 2011 London The Annual E.G.R. Taylor Lecture will be held at 5.30 for 6.30pm at Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1 Kensington Gore. Instruments, geography and scientific enquiry: guides to travellers and method in nineteenth-century Britain and France will be presented by Charles W. J. Withers, Professor of Historical Geography, Institute of Geography, University of Edinburgh.

In keeping with E G R Taylor’s interests in the history of geography, instrumentation and travel, this illustrated lecture will examine printed guides to travellers as they helped promote geography as an emergent science in the nineteenth century, highlighting amongst others the work in the RGS of Julian Jackson and William Hamilton. Drawing upon work in book history, geography and the history of science, the lecture will illuminate the key but under-explored role of instruments and instrumental training in understanding geography’s many narratives of exploration. Lecture tickets: Lecture Attendance free, no booking required. Supper tickets: £25.00 must be purchased in advance (by midday on 7 October) T: 020 7591 3100.

Become a Fellow of the British Cartographic Society.

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For more calendar entries visit the BCS web site: www.cartography.org.uk/calendar.asp

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk

November 5, 2011 Paris The 10th edition of the Paris Map-fair will be held at the Hotel Ambassador, 19, Bd Haussmann, in the heart of Paris, just 2 minutes from the famous Opera Garnier and the major department stores; and also located not far from Montmartre and the Louvre museum. The fair is organised by the well-known antiquarian book and map dealer Loeb-Larocque and Agnès Talec. The fair includes maps, atlases, globes and a fine selection of travel books. With participants from France, UK, Spain, Italy, USA, Belgium and the Netherlands. There is a collectors/ dealer dinner on Friday night.

‘Maps and Society’ Lectures Lectures in the history of cartography convened by Catherine Delano-Smith (Institute of Historical Research, University of London), Tony Campbell (formerly Map Library, British Library), and Alessandro Scafi (Warburg Institute). Meetings are held at the Warburg Institute, School of Advanced Study, University of London, Woburn Square, London WC1H OAB, at 5.00 pm on selected Thursdays.

Admission is free and each meeting is followed by refreshments. All are most welcome.

Enquiries: 020 8346 5112 (Catherine Delano-Smith) or Tony Campbell: info@tonycampbell.info For the location, see the online map provided by Streetmap (the Warburg Institute is by the S of ‘Square’) The Twenty-First series Programme for 2011-2012: November 3. Professor Jean Boutier (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Marseille).

Without Cassini: Colbert and his Provincial Cartographers, 1660-1683.

December 1. Dr Emilie d’Orgeix (Department of History of Art, Michel de Montaigne-Bordeaux 3 University). French Colonial Mapping in the Americas, 1635-1776 Maplines / Summer 2011 • 23

Quiz – Discovery Walking Guides 1

1. Identify this equestrian statue in the Trafalgar Square and tell us the importance of the plaque in the ground behind it.

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2. At approximately what scale is the Eiffel Tower shown here?

3. This is the tower of Florence Cathedral, the third largest Christian church in the world. What are the first and second largest?

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4. Approximately how far off the vertical is the Leaning Tower of Pisa?

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Our Quiz sponsor David Brawn is offering three sets of the newly published Tour & Trail Super-Durable Maps for Axarquia, Tenerife Hikers' Maps, La Palma and La Gomera, as prizes in Maplines Quiz.

24 • Summer 2011 / Maplines

Visit the BCS website at www.cartography.org.uk