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Maps & GIS

Mapping Landscapes, Culture and Nature

"Maps are far more than representations of space. They are tools for understanding relationships between people, culture, history and the living world."

Welcome

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have become an increasingly important part of my research and practical environmental work. Throughout my career I have sought to understand the relationships between people, culture and nature. Maps provide a unique means of visualising those relationships, revealing patterns that are often difficult to appreciate through words alone.

My early research relied upon hand-drawn maps and field observations to document indigenous territories, sacred landscapes and traditional systems of environmental management. Today, advances in GIS, remote sensing and citizen science allow these same landscapes to be explored with unprecedented precision while remaining grounded in local knowledge and lived experience.

This section brings together interactive maps, spatial datasets, field surveys and environmental monitoring projects that support research, conservation and community engagement. It reflects my belief that maps should not simply describe the world—they should help us understand it more deeply and care for it more wisely.

Interactive Maps

Interactive web maps allow visitors to explore many of my current research and conservation projects.

These include habitat surveys, environmental monitoring, Rights of Nature initiatives, Nature Recovery projects and community-based conservation programmes. Rather than static illustrations, these maps provide living resources that continue to evolve as new information becomes available.

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NextGIS Portal

My online NextGIS portal provides access to a growing collection of interactive mapping projects developed to support research, planning and community engagement.

Current projects include habitat mapping, biodiversity surveys, Rights of Nature initiatives, environmental monitoring, citizen science and landscape restoration.

These maps are designed to make geographic information accessible to researchers, local communities and decision-makers alike.

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Nature Recovery

Effective nature recovery begins with understanding the landscape.

This section contains mapping projects supporting habitat restoration, ecological connectivity and biodiversity enhancement, including woodland restoration, pollinator habitats, wetlands, ecological networks and opportunities for landscape-scale conservation.

Current work includes habitat mapping within the Amman Valley and the wider Welsh landscape.

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Rights of Nature

Maps provide an important tool for understanding how communities are recognising and protecting the Rights of Nature.

This section documents community initiatives, environmental charters, governance projects and emerging examples of Rights of Nature in practice. By bringing these initiatives together geographically, it becomes possible to identify patterns of innovation and encourage collaboration between communities.

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Citizen Science

Community participation is central to effective environmental stewardship.

Interactive mapping allows volunteers to record habitats, biodiversity, environmental damage and ecological restoration using modern digital tools.

Projects include Nature Guardians, Epicollect5 surveys, habitat monitoring and biodiversity recording, enabling local communities to become active participants in understanding and caring for their environment.

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Environmental Anthropology

Maps have long played an important role in my anthropological research.

This section includes mapping developed during fieldwork among indigenous communities in Nepal and southwest China, documenting sacred natural sites, cultural landscapes, indigenous territories and traditional ecological knowledge.

These projects demonstrate how spatial information can help reveal the intimate relationship between culture, spirituality and landscape.

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Beaver & River Restoration

Healthy rivers form the lifeblood of resilient landscapes.

Current mapping includes habitat suitability assessments, river restoration opportunities, catchment analysis, floodplain reconnection and ecological restoration associated with potential beaver reintroduction projects.

These maps combine GIS analysis with field observations to support evidence-based restoration.

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Downloads

Selected GIS resources are available for download.

These include:

  • GIS datasets

  • GeoPackages

  • Shapefiles

  • KML files

  • PDF maps

  • Technical reports

  • Mapping guidance

Resources will continue to expand as new projects are completed.

Download GIS Resources →

Research Data

Many mapping projects are supported by carefully curated spatial datasets developed through field survey, remote sensing and collaborative research.

Where appropriate, selected datasets are made available to encourage further research, education and community participation.

Data formats include GIS layers, survey results and supporting documentation.

Access Research Data →

Mapping Technologies

The work presented within this section draws upon a range of modern mapping technologies, including:

  • NextGIS Web

  • QGIS

  • ArcGIS

  • GPS field survey

  • Epicollect5

  • LiDAR

  • Remote sensing

  • Aerial photography

  • OpenStreetMap

  • Ordnance Survey data

These technologies are combined with field observation and local knowledge to produce maps that are both scientifically robust and practically useful.

Looking Ahead

Mapping is continually transforming the way we understand landscapes and environmental change. As new technologies emerge and new projects develop, this section will continue to grow.

Future additions will include further interactive mapping, expanded citizen science projects, additional habitat surveys, Rights of Nature initiatives and landscape restoration programmes.

Above all, these maps are intended to support better decisions, encourage community participation and contribute to the long-term care and restoration of the natural world.

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