For people who remember the days of paper maps, digital mapping is amazing. No longer do you have to find the latest paper guide to the specific area you're trying to travel through, and no longer do you face surprises while out on the road if you have onboard navigation in your car. But while most people access digital maps for traffic and to scope out where a restaurant and its parking lot might be, the maps obviously have other purposes. For people with private land, digital mapping software allows for better monitoring and instant updates that help keep occupants safe.

Changes in Land Due to Erosion

Digital mapping allows you to track changes to the land after heavy storms that might have caused serious erosion. This erosion can affect hiking trails (be they trails you alone use or public trails in zones covered by an easement), wildlife habitats, and more. Instead of coming across an area that's been eroded or covered with sediment from runoff, you can combine the digital maps with satellite data to spot areas that may need to be re-landscaped and shored up.

Landslides and Road Washouts

After a storm, you'll want to know the condition of your property. If you've got a large rural parcel, send a drone out to film the area and map spots where landslides or private road washouts have occurred. Not only do these serve as records for repair crews, such as for private roads, but these also help you, your family, and other occupants on the land avoid those areas until they are fixed (such as for roads) or in perpetuity (such as for landslides in areas where you don't have to go).

Weather Alerts That May Impact the Area

Digital mapping apps are very good at noting weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service, and in some regions, these apps also add fire information, flood zones, and more. Tap into those data sets and have those alerts appear on the maps you keep of the property. This is especially helpful if you have a large parcel that could be half inside a warning area and half outside.

While you can learn how to use digital mapping software yourself for your property, you can also engage the services of a GIS mapping company. Either way, you'll know more about what's going on around the property and be able to respond faster to problems.