DOI: 10.7910/dvn/yztohn
title: Land Use & Biodiversity Trends: Analyzing Forests, Crops & More

description: &lt;b&gt; Land Use and Biodiversity Dataset: Overview &lt;/b&gt; &lt;br&gt;
This dataset provides insights into global land use patterns and biodiversity trends across different countries and years. It helps researchers, policymakers, and environmentalists analyze how human activities are shaping ecosystems and biodiversity over time. &lt;br&gt;

&lt;dl&gt;
 &lt;dt&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Access the Dataset:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/dt&gt;
 &lt;dd&gt;
 &lt;code&gt;&lt;a href="https://ihugtrees.org/data-analytics.html" target="_blank"&gt;
 https://ihugtrees.org/data-analytics.html
 &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/code&gt;
 &lt;/dd&gt;

 &lt;dt&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Citation (AMA Style):&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/dt&gt;
 &lt;dd&gt;
 I Hug Trees. &lt;em&gt;Mapping Our Planet: Biodiversity and Land Use&lt;/em&gt;. 
 Available at: 
 &lt;code&gt;&lt;a href="https://ihugtrees.org/data-analytics/mapping-our-planet-biodiversity-and-landuse.html" target="_blank"&gt;
 https://ihugtrees.org/data-analytics/mapping-our-planet-biodiversity-and-landuse.html
 &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/code&gt;. Published 2024. Accessed [insert today's date].
 &lt;/dd&gt;
 &lt;/dl&gt;


&lt;b&gt; Dataset Structure &lt;/b&gt; &lt;br&gt;
The dataset consists of two key components: &lt;br&gt;

1. Land Use Data (final_filtered_countries_cleaned.csv)&lt;br&gt;
This part of the dataset tracks how land is utilized in different countries over multiple years. The columns include:&lt;br&gt;

Country – The name of the country.&lt;br&gt;
Year – The year in which the data was recorded.&lt;br&gt;
Arable Land % – The percentage of land used for temporary crops and farmland.
Forests % – The percentage of land covered by forests.&lt;br&gt;
Crops % – The percentage of land used for permanent crops (e.g., orchards, plantations).&lt;br&gt;
This data helps in monitoring deforestation, agricultural expansion, and land degradation trends.&lt;br&gt;

2. Biodiversity Data (bio_countries_cleaned.csv)&lt;br&gt;
This dataset focuses on biodiversity indicators for each country. The columns include:&lt;br&gt;

Country – The name of the country.&lt;br&gt;
Year – The year in which the data was recorded.&lt;br&gt;
Series – A description of the biodiversity indicator being measured.&lt;br&gt;
Value – The numerical value representing the percentage of important biodiversity sites under protection.&lt;br&gt;
This dataset helps in tracking the conservation efforts and biodiversity protection measures worldwide.&lt;br&gt;

How the Dataset is Used&lt;br&gt;
This dataset is crucial for:&lt;br&gt;

Tracking Environmental Changes – Helps researchers monitor deforestation, land degradation, and expansion of agriculture over time.&lt;br&gt;
Policy Decision-Making – Assists governments and environmental organizations in designing better land-use policies to balance development with conservation.&lt;br&gt;
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Aligns with SDG 15 (Life on Land) by providing insights into forest conservation and biodiversity protection.&lt;br&gt;
Scientific Research & Climate Studies – Useful for studying climate change impacts on land and biodiversity.&lt;br&gt;
Educational & Awareness Purposes – Helps educators and students understand the state of global ecosystems with real data.&lt;br&gt;
Why This Data Matters&lt;br&gt;
🌍 Land use directly affects biodiversity – More agricultural land often means less forest and wildlife habitat.&lt;br&gt;
🌱 Biodiversity loss is a major crisis – Protected areas are key to preserving species, but they must be expanded and well-managed.&lt;br&gt;
📊 Data-driven policies lead to better environmental action – Without accurate tracking, it’s impossible to measure progress in conservation.&lt;br&gt;
description: The "Mapping Our Planet: Biodiversity and Land Use" webpage provides an interactive way to explore global environmental changes using Leaflet-powered maps. It visualizes land use patterns (forests, crops, and arable land) alongside biodiversity indicators, helping users understand how ecosystems are evolving.

The primary data source is UN Data: Land Estimates, last updated on November 27, 2024. This dataset provides reliable global insights into land cover, deforestation, and biodiversity protection. Users can toggle between satellite imagery, NDVI layers, and biodiversity tracking, making it easy to analyze trends over time.

This tool is significant for researchers, conservationists, and policymakers, providing insights into deforestation, agricultural expansion, and protected biodiversity areas. By integrating NASA GIBS, EONET, and real-time environmental tracking, the map helps users visualize ecosystem changes at a global scale.

With a focus on sustainability and conservation, this platform empowers decision-makers and individuals to support better land management and biodiversity protection efforts worldwide.