Abstract

National Land Parcel Data: A Vision in Need of Review
Track: Cadastral and Land Records
Author(s): Earl Epstein, Bernard Niemann, John McLaughlin

"National Land Parcel Data:A Vision for the Future" encourages consideration of so-called parcel databases. Its Introduction states that "[l]and parcel databases, .[are] known as cadastres, "a parcel is defined as the primary unit of surface ownership," and focus is "on . surface ownership." This is a narrow and limiting concept. This paper discusses conceptual origins of land information systems (LIS) explicitly designed to serve public and private needs to know the land and act wisely in land planning and management, lost opportunities resulting from the narrow concept, and emerging opportunities resulting from confluence of technical development and increasing public awareness of data available for more thoughtful land decisions.

Earl Epstein
Ohio State University
School of Environment and Natural Resources
210 Kottman Hall
Columbus , Ohio 43210
United States
Phone: 614-292-8654
Fax: 614-292-7432
E-mail: epstein.4@osu.edu

Bernard Niemann
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Department of Urban and Regional Planning
Land Information and Computer Graphics Facility
Madison , Wisconsin 53706
United States
Phone: 715-462-3141
E-mail: sue.niemann@gmail.com

John McLaughlin
University of New Brunswick
Main Hall
Fredericton , New Brunswick E3B 5A3
Canada
Phone: 506-453-4567
E-mail: jdm@unb.ca