In green infrastructure planning, which practice is most directly supported by GIS mapping?

• A. Identifying priority locations for nature-based solutions based on attenuation capacity.
• B. Predicting stock market fluctuations.
• C. Isolating all natural features from analysis.
• D. Eliminating urban heat islands without data.

Answer: (A)

In GIS mapping for green infrastructure planning, the key idea is using spatial data layers to pinpoint where nature-based solutions will most effectively manage stormwater. By overlaying rainfall and runoff data with soils, topography, land use, and existing drainage, GIS quantifies attenuation capacity across an area and helps identify priority locations for interventions like bioswales, rain gardens, or wetlands. This data-driven prioritization ensures that investments maximize reductions in peak flows and flood risk while fitting other constraints such as land ownership and proximity to outlets. The other options don’t fit because stock market predictions aren’t spatially informed, isolating natural features removes valuable context for hydrological planning, and eliminating urban heat islands without data ignores the need for evidence that GIS provides to guide where to act.