Google My Maps: The Sonoran Desert

By Sarah Weber

In this exercise, I explored the Sonoran Desert using Google My Maps. Google My Maps is a free, web-based mapping tool that allows you to create custom maps using pins, layers, and directions.

To start my map, I created a layer to represent the boundary of the desert using the drawing tool. Then, I added an additional layer to represent the subdivisions of the desert, and color coded them to visually distinguish them. The National Parks and Monuments, Wildlife Refuges, and Reserves were easy to locate and add using the search bar.

Lastly, I wanted to test creating a layer using the import functionality. The jaguar is an apex predator that occupies portions of the Sonoran Desert, and I was interested in seeing where throughout history jaguars have been observed in the area. The Jaguar Observations Database provides public data related to the observations of jaguars dating back to 1829. Note: There is not latitude-longitude data available for all observation types. I downloaded a CSV from the website and quickly realized the latitude and longitude data was in separate columns so I first performed a CONCAT formula to combine them into one column separated with a comma and a space. After selecting to add a new layer to my map, I chose the import option. The interface is easy to use and provides step-by-step guidance to import data. However, when designating the column for latitude-longitude, I continuously received an error message (Oops! We're having trouble finding those locations. Did you pick the correct location columns?). After a lot of digging around in forums, I came across the suggestion to convert the CSV to a KML file. Once I converted the file using this Convert CSV to KML tool, the file was easily accepted and uploaded. For this exercise, I chose to focus on observations in or near the Sonoran Desert which is a subset of the complete Jaguar Observations Database. However, I could see how this tool would be useful for plotting full datasets to visualize the broader picture.

While the features of Google My Maps are more limited in comparison to other mapping tools, the barrier to entry is low, it's easy to use, and can provide a modest way of viewing a study area. 



References

The Sonoran Desert Region. (n.d.). Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. https://desertmuseum.org/center/map.php

Jaguar Observations Database. (n.d.). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Jaguar Recovery Team. https://jaguardata.info/

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