Solutions have been implemented 7 C O V E R S T O R Iand S that include E creative publictechnological innovation private partnerships. However, solutions must go beyond technology and tools and address long-term, foundational change through interdisciplinary approaches and long-term strategies building on the innate creativity of individuals. In 1997, Susan Hanson edited 10 Geographic Ideas that Changed the World (published by Rutgers University Press), which discusses three ideas that directly relate to the issues of disaster management. The “idea of the map” is arguably the most powerful of geographic ideas in its ability to convey information authoritatively. Coupled with digital technology, the map takes on new forms through the use of "geospatial technologies," broadening our perspective by creating the possibility of analyzing ever larger amounts of geographic data. Situating the interactive map within the context of "human adjustment and adaptation" heralded the emergence of analyzing coupled human and natural systems. We now find ourselves at the crossroads of the virtual and physical worlds where solutions to disaster management provide an important role for geography and geospatial tools. About the Author Dr. Melinda Laituri is an associate professor in the Forest, Rangeland, and Watershed Stewardship Department, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University (CSU), Fort Collins, Colorado. She is the director of the Geospatial Centroid @ CSU Web site that provides information and communication about GIS across campus and community. Laituri teaches graduate courses in GIS. Her research focuses on the intersection of science and culture using geospatial science. She has research projects in Mongolia, New Zealand, Ethiopia, Canada, Alaska, and China. Other research work focuses on the role of the Internet and geospatial technologies in disaster management and crosscultural environmental histories of river basin management. More Information For more information, contact Melinda Laituri (e-mail: mell@cnr.colostate.edu). AN These lessons suggest a promising future based on a strong technological imperative. However, several challenges exist: • Accessibility to a reliable computer network and Internet connections is dependent on an overall well-developed infrastructure. • Issues related to data availability and access to copyrighted and classified data are evident in both developing and developed countries. • The power of information and communication technologies is at times not evidenced by their actual performance during a catastrophe. For example, during the Kashmir earthquake of 2005, basic GIS data layers were not available, and processed satellite images revealed little in the way of damage assessments. • Maps and information needed for the local scale are often not available. This data is location specific, sensitive to scale, and rarely has adequate coverage of the social landscape. • Information assessment for disaster management must be closely examined to determine if such databases and GIS products are really meeting the needs of the impacted populations. • Information must be authentic and valid to be trusted by the users and affected populations. There are several actions that the geospatial community can take to address issues associated with disasters. These include • Develop standards and protocols for data for emergency management, building on the framework of the NSDI. • Increase the skills in information systems for emergency managers and humanitarian aid workers to better understand the role of data collection and information for emergency management. • Develop training for community-based emergency data collection for localities. Develop drills for emergency response that include GIS applications, rapid response assessments, and analysis. • Develop new methods for geovisualization. • Develop emergency management GIS applications and curricula to train the next generation of emergency responders. Develop geospatial educational tools for multirisk assessment. • Build participatory partnerships and approaches in mapping disaster events. • Research and develop appropriate temporal and spatial scales for disaster management databases. • Establish long-term monitoring data collection programs to understand recovery and restoration in an interdisciplinary environment. • Integrate the lessons learned to create feedback mechanisms for improving response to disasters.