Geographic Information Systems and the Sustainable Development of Rural Areas

Krystyna Kurowska, Renata Marks-Bielska, Stanisław Bielski, Audrius Aleknavičius and Cezary Kowalczyk
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Krystyna Kurowska: Department of Spatial Analysis and Real Estate Market, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 15, 10-695 Olsztyn, Poland
Renata Marks-Bielska: Department of Economic Policy, Faculty of Economic Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 4, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Stanisław Bielski: Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Environmental Development and Agriculture, Agricultural Production Management and Agribusiness, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 8, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Audrius Aleknavičius: Institute of Land Use Planning and Geomatics, Water and Land Management Faculty, Vytautas Magnus University, Universiteto Str. 10, Akademija, LT-53361 Kaunas, Lithuania
Cezary Kowalczyk: Department of Spatial Analysis and Real Estate Market, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 15, 10-695 Olsztyn, Poland

Land, 2020, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: Sustainable development is socioeconomic growth that integrates political, economic, and social measures alongside environmental protection to meet the needs of communities and citizens without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The sustainable development concept was initially based on three main pillars: environment, economy, and society. In successive years, this concept has been expanded to include new pillars. The awareness of these changes has influenced our research interests. The main research objective of this study was to evaluate the applicability of geographic information system (GIS) tools (data, tools, and multidimensional analyses) to the implementation of sustainable development principles in rural areas. The study covered rural and nonurbanized areas in Poland, especially farmland, forests, fisheries, and farms. The study presents the results of our research into environmental, economic, and social determinants of growth in the spatial dimension. GIS tools continue to evolve, which improves access to information and increases database managers’ awareness that highly accurate data are needed for spatial analyses. GIS systems allow us to formulate, in a structured and formal way, models that reflect both the current state and forecast changes that will occur in space. It is a very useful tool in the sustainable development of rural areas.

Keywords: rural areas; sustainability; geographic information systems; data sources; determinants of development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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