The need to map our environment is primal – before pen and paper existed, our ancestors did it to note sources of food, water, shelter and danger.
‘Models of reality have always helped us make sense of our world, and maps are no exception,’ explains Paula Owens, teacher, consultant and visiting research fellow in geography at Canterbury Christ Church University. ‘We all need navigational skills. It's not enough to rely on a “Google mentality”. As news stories often show, people end up making dangerous decisions if they lack the ability to comprehend and read maps.
‘Maps hold, store and convey information. They help us recognise patterns in the landscape and compare the world at different scales. At a simple level, maps are about space, place and environment and scale.’
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