Implementation of Web Map Services for Old Cadastral Maps

Abstract

It is widely accepted that old cadastral maps have multiple uses, such as reestablishing cadastral parcel boundaries, municipality boundaries, and coastal limits, or conducting historical, economic, and social studies. In Spain, the Directorate General for Cadastre, and the National Geographic Institute, has numerous digitized old maps that are accessible to users. In the Comunidad Valenciana, the georeferencing of certain series of old cadastral maps is being carried out in phases, which is one of the subjects of this study. A metric analysis of two series of old cadastral maps from a municipality was conducted. One of the series was georeferenced by the Valencia Provincial Cadastre Office, while the other was georeferenced in this research. Additionally, a spatial data infrastructure (SDI) was created, providing WMS, catalog, and document download services. Metadata were also published, containing information about the source, digitalization process, georeferencing, and achieved accuracy, following the ISO 19115 standard for geographic metadata. Furthermore, through individual and group interviews, participatory social research was conducted, to assess the use of old cadastral maps and the created SDI services, aiming to understand the users’ appreciation of the services. The results of the social research indicate that the SDI services created are highly valued, but certain conditions need to be met to ensure their effective use by the general public in order to avoid misuses and misinterpretations.