In science, the concept of data visualization has been rising in its importance. Data visualization is simply the visual or graphical representation of data and information,done through maps, graphs, and other forms of charts. Data visualization is especially important for making science more inclusive and accessible. Any reader should be able to read and understand the visualization quickly, even those using screen readers or other types of assistive technology. 

Geographic Information System, or GIS, is one tool that allows us to create data visualizations. As defined by the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), GIS is a system that “creates, manages, analyzes, and maps all types of data.” The data used in GIS is spatial data: any form of data that includes a geographic location. GIS is pretty heavily used by biologists to make conservation decisions. It can be utilized in several ways, such as mapping species presence in a wildlife refuge,identifying suitable habitats for endangered species, or even running analyses to find areas for restoration. 

Generally, when looking at spatial data, we use programs like ArcGIS, Google Earth, or statistical computing software like R. We are able to open spatial data files individually and view them in these programs. Although this is useful, there are also situations where we may want to look at several different files at once. One tool developed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service that we use in the Carlsbad office to do this is called the Geospatial Compliance and Monitoring System (GCMS). GCMS is a database that is primarily used to track compliance with Section 7 and Section 10 consultations of the Endangered Species Act. These consultations often involve areas of land that are classified as impact sites, conservation areas, or restoration areas. As part of my project, I often receive spatial data representing these areas that I import into GCMS. The home page of GCMS then generates an interactive map displaying every single project that contains spatial information (Figure 1). 

Figure 1. A map of southern California displaying projects with location information inputted into GCMS. Numbers (blue) indicate the number of projects that are located in that area.

Personally, when reading through the documents that come out of ESA consultations, I can find it difficult to conceptualize the work that is being done; a document can tell me that several acres of land are being designated for conservation purposes, but without a visual, it’s hard to imagine what that actually looks like. For this reason, I find GCMS to be incredibly useful, as it gives me a tool to actually see the total number of projects that have an impact on conservation. In addition to providing a visualization, individual project pages are made and are easily accessible through the map. For example, if I am interested in seeing what projects have been done in Anaheim, I can zoom in to that area, see the projects available, and click a project for more information (Figure 2). 

Figure 2. A map of Anaheim displaying projects in the area, with information specific to the project available on clicking highlighted areas.

In summary, GCMS is a handy tool we can use for data visualization. In the Carlsbad office, GCMS has been both useful and inspiring for me to see all of the work my fellow biologists have been doing. In the future, I’d love to see this tool’s use across the USFWS to visualize the important conservation work being done nationwide.

Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Program: US Fish & Wildlife Service - DFP

Location: Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office