Mapping Our Planet: Biodiversity and Land Use
Biodiversity and Landuse: A Data-Driven Perspective
Understanding how our planet is changing is crucial for conservation and sustainable development. Our interactive maps use Leaflet, D3.js, Python Pandas, and Google Sheets to visualize global biodiversity protection and land use patterns with real-time data.
By analyzing forests, croplands, and protected areas, we gain insights into how human activities and conservation efforts shape ecosystems. Tracking these changes over time helps policymakers, researchers, and the public make informed decisions.
With biodiversity under constant threat, mapping plays a vital role in identifying trends, gaps, and progress toward global sustainability goals. This webpage serves as a dynamic platform to explore, analyze, and understand the delicate balance between nature and development.
Through data-driven insights, we aim to inspire action and awareness for a healthier planet.
Land Use and Category Percentage
The Land Use Leaflet Map provides an interactive visualization of global land use, categorized into three key classifications: Arable land (%), Crops (%), and Forests (%) for all countries. Users can click on any country to view a popup displaying estimated percentages for each category. Additionally, a year selector allows users to toggle between data from 2005, 2010, and 2023, enabling comparisons of land use changes over time. This classification is vital for biodiversity conservation, as it helps monitor deforestation, agricultural expansion, and their effects on ecosystems. By tracking these trends, the map supports sustainable land management and policy decisions.
This content is licensed under the CC BY 4.0 license, allowing you to freely share and adapt the work as long as you give appropriate credit. The data and percentages are estimates according to the data source.
Bio Diveristy Protection percentage
The World Biodiversity Map highlights protected area percentages vital for sustaining ecosystems and preventing species loss. Biodiversity supports clean air, water, and climate stability, but habitat destruction threatens this balance. Pantone Pink, the Color of Biodiversity , symbolizes resilience, tracing back to cyanobacteria—the first oxygen-producing life forms. While pink celebrates nature’s brilliance, it also serves as a warning, urging action to protect Earth’s fragile ecosystems.
This content is licensed under the CC BY 4.0 license, allowing you to freely share and adapt the work as long as you give appropriate credit. The data and percentages are estimates according to the data source.
Insights from Our Leaflet Maps: Land Use & Biodiversity Protection
We've been exploring two critical aspects of environmental change through interactive maps:
1️⃣ Land Use Classification – Our global map highlights the distribution of land across arable areas, crop fields, and forests. By analyzing percentages worldwide, we gain a clearer picture of how land is utilized and how these classifications shift over time.
2️⃣ Biodiversity Protection Percentage – This map showcases the proportion of biodiversity sites that are officially protected. Conservation efforts have expanded significantly, ensuring that vital ecosystems are safeguarded.
Analyzing data from 2005, 2010, 2021, and 2023, we observe a positive trend—protection percentages have steadily increased. More land is being designated for conservation, signaling growing awareness and commitment from countries worldwide.
This shift reflects an encouraging global movement. Governments and organizations are recognizing the urgency of preserving biodiversity and ensuring that forests, wetlands, and other critical habitats remain intact. For instance, recent agreements aim to generate $200 billion annually by 2030 to protect and reverse environmental destruction, highlighting a significant financial commitment to conservation efforts (Reuters, 2025).
The rise in protected areas aligns with international goals, such as the 30 by 30 initiative, which aims to designate 30% of Earth's land and ocean areas as protected by 2030. This target has garnered support from over 100 countries, emphasizing the global consensus on the importance of biodiversity conservation (Wikipedia, 2025).
However, challenges remain. While protection levels are rising, effective management and enforcement are crucial. Simply designating land as 'protected' isn't sufficient—it must be actively preserved against deforestation, illegal activities, and climate threats. Reports indicate that despite progress, many species remain threatened, and significant efforts are needed to meet ambitious biodiversity goals (Associated Press, 2024).
Our maps provide a powerful way to visualize these changes and track global progress. By making this data accessible, we hope to inspire more discussions, policies, and actions toward a more sustainable future.
Stay tuned for more insights as we continue refining our research and expanding our environmental tracking tools!
Land Use Distribution by Region
The bar chart is best visible on a PC or a laptop screen for small screen visitors. The bar chart presents a visual snapshot of land use distribution across select regions worldwide, categorized by arable land, permanent crops, and forest cover percentages. Each bar represents a percentage of total land area, offering a comparative view of different regions. Users can explore historical trends by selecting different years from the dropdown menu. The chart provides a clear, at-a-glance understanding of how land use varies geographically. For more in-depth analysis, the full dataset is available for download below.
This content is licensed under the CC BY 4.0 license, allowing you to freely share and adapt the work as long as you give appropriate credit. The data and percentages are estimates according to the data source.
Method and Data Processing
Step 1: Data Source and Collection
The primary data was sourced from global land use and biodiversity protection datasets, from UN Data, Land use estimates.
The dataset spans from 2005 to 2023, covering global land classifications and biodiversity site protection percentages.
The latest update to the primary sources was in November 2024.
Step 2: Data Processing
The raw data was processed using Python (Pandas, NumPy) to clean, filter, and structure the data for visualization.
Data was then structured in Google Sheets for accessibility and further analysis.
For mapping, Leaflet.js was used to create interactive layers, while D3.js was leveraged for dynamic visualizations.
Step 3: Visualization and Insights
Land use classification and biodiversity protection percentages were mapped with interactive filters for comparison across years.
Trends were analyzed to highlight the increase in protected areas over time, indicating improved conservation efforts globally.
README: Land Use and Biodiversity Percentage Maps
Generated on: 2025-03-07
Created by: I Hug Trees (ihugtrees.org)
Dataset Title
Mapping Our Planet Biodiversity and Landuse
Data download links
Date of Data Collection
Original data collected from 2005 to 2023, with the latest update in Nov 2024.
Data Source
Primary Sources: UN Data, Land use estimates, FAO
Processed and visualized using Python (Pandas, GeoPandas) and Leaflet.js
Overview
These interactive maps provide insights into global land use patterns and biodiversity distribution. The land use map categorizes different land cover types, while the biodiversity map visualizes species richness and conservation areas worldwide.
Data Processing Steps
Raw Data Collection – Extracted from UN Data, Land use estimates.
Data Cleaning – Processed to remove inconsistencies and enhance accuracy.
Data segregation and categorization– Processed to take only the percentage estaimates rather than actual land area in Thousands Hectares.
Geospatial Mapping – Integrated with Leaflet.js for interactive visualization.
Color Coding – Applied standardized color schemes to differentiate regions.
Data Format
File Type: GeoJSON (.geojson), CSV (.csv)
Columns:
Country/Region – Name of the geographical area
Year – 2005, 2010, 2021, 2023
Series– Categorized as Arable, Crops, Forests, Biodiversity protection sites %
Values – Percentage estimates per region/country
Scope and Limitations
Focus: The dataset provides a general overview and may not include all micro-level variations.
Updates: The latest data update was in March 2025; new updates will refine accuracy.
Use Case: Ideal for ecological studies, urban planning, and conservation research.
Usage and Applications
Analyzing global land use changes and biodiversity trends
Supporting climate action and conservation efforts
Educational purposes and research in environmental science
Policy-making for sustainable land management
Software and Tools Used
Python (Pandas, GeoPandas) – Data processing and structuring
Leaflet.js – Interactive mapping
D3.js – Advanced visualization (planned enhancements)
Access and Citation
For more insights and visualizations, visit I Hug Trees - Data Analytics.
If using this dataset, please cite:
How to cite this dataset
AMA Style:
“Mapping Our Planet Biodiversity and Landuse.” I Hug Trees. https://ihugtrees.org/data-analytics/mapping-our-planet-biodiversity-and-landuse.html} Accessed Mar 07, 2025.
BibTeX Style:
@misc{ihugtrees2025,
title = {Mapping Our Planet Biodiversity and Landuse},
author = {{I Hug Trees}},
year = {2025},
howpublished = {\url{https://ihugtrees.org/data-analytics/mapping-our-planet-biodiversity-and-landuse.html}},
note = {Accessed: 2025-01-15}
}
Understanding CC BY 4.0 and Giving Credit
The data visualizations, content, and insights on this page are shared under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license. This means you are free to use, share, and adapt the materials, as long as you give proper credit to "I Hug Trees." Attribution ensures that the time and effort behind creating and sharing this knowledge are acknowledged. Here's how you can give credit:
The visualization chart is courtesy of "I Hug Trees - Data Analytics" . The primary dataset comes from [Data Source link - for example: UN Data ] or other third-party sources.