Background The EDC was developed in 1986 as a joint project between the URI Department of Natural Resources Science and the RI Department of Environmental Management. The original goal of the EDC was to develop a comprehensive and detailed GIS database of RI's natural resources and to use these data and GIS tools to assist in the management and protection of these resources. Since 1986, considerable attention has been given to developing and distributing accurate and up-to-date GIS data to RI's land managers. Currently, the RI Division of Planning, the RI Department of Transportation, and the RI Solid Waste Management Corporation, RI Emergency Management Agency, and Coastal Resources Management Council make extensive use of the data and system. Every community in the state has accessed and used RIGIS data for municipal planning applications. Numerous federal agencies have used RIGIS data or collaborated with EDC staff and these include EPA, NOAA, USGS, NRCS (SCS), USFWS, AID, and the NPS. Non-profit organizations such as land trusts and conservation societies are using statewide GIS data to identify critical land use/cover and habitat in order to prioritize property acquisition and protection.