Resources & Inspiration

February 22, 2025

Reading Between the Lines: How to Interpret Contour Maps for Landscape Design

Contour maps are far more than a collection of elevation lines stacked together. They tell a story about what has, is, and will happen on the land. These maps tell us about water, fire, and air movement. They tell us what people did decades and centuries ago. They give us design insight, such as where to construct buildings, plant vegetation, and collect water. Come learn the art of reading contour maps.

Join Charles Williams as he explains what a contour map can tell you about water flow, swales and pond placement, cold air drainages, fire movement, historic settlement on your site, and much more.

If you enjoyed this session, consider joining Charles’s Intro to GIS Mapping class.

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