Title: On the study, modernisation, support and promotion of transhumance, through a dedicated web-GIS

Authors: Konstantina Ntassiou; Ioannis D. Doukas; Iakovos Papadopoulos

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Neo Perivoli Larissa, 41500, Greece ' Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece ' Forest Directorate of Chalkidiki, Polygyros 63100, Greece

Abstract: In the midst of today's global energy and economic crisis, it is imperative that we turn to traditional practices which, assisted by modern technology, can offer sustainable and financial-savvy ways to support our efforts for economic development. Such a practice is transhumance, which shows a long historical background dating many centuries ago. The present study seeks to highlight this traditional activity with respect to its spatial evolution with the contribution of contemporary technological means such as GIS. In particular, an easy to use web-GIS application is proposed, built with ArcGIS™ software, in an environment easily accessible to either trained or untrained users. Aiming to the accurate visualisation of information in order the farmer to determine the most cost-effective design for own project of transhumance, the cartographic process proposed by this study utilises sources of cartographic data in a layered virtual environment, where information is collected, processed, distributed, developed, analysed and accessed.

Keywords: transhumance projects; web-GIS; GIS; geographic information systems; maps; transhumance routes; visualisation; cartographic data; livestock grazing; virtual environments; traditional farming methods; livestock movement.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSAMI.2016.081993

International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics, 2016 Vol.2 No.2/3/4, pp.193 - 205

Received: 16 May 2016
Accepted: 26 Sep 2016
Published online: 31 Jan 2017 *

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