Geographically tagged data is highly valuable. It possesses the potential to provide significant insights when considered in entirety. A plan view of any such data pertaining to the area of interest serves as a valuable tool for informed decision-making.

There is a catch, though. There is a cost associated with the data. There is always a medium path that must be taken. You will eventually have to give up on the pursuit of accuracy. That would be the most you would be willing to spend on the project.

Achieving precision is largely possible for a project at the local scale. For example, mapping trees using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data and high spatial resolution satellite imagery. However, when the same level of accuracy is needed for a continental-scale tree mapping, the same technology becomes unaffordable. There, our only option would be to use medium-resolution satellite imagery. The technology available for local projects does not always allow for scaling up. Therefore, choosing the mapping scale is crucial.