Zoom into the map until green forest patches appear, then click any patch to see its conservation tier and patch details.
Test a development to draw a line, rectangle or polygon. Follow the instructions in the sidebar, finish your drawing and calculate forest changes. You can then compare potential routes.
To see full technical details, click the How to use this map button in the top panel.
> INITIALIZING GEOSPATIAL ENGINE...
> LOADING KUANTAN_FORESTS.DB...
> LOADING PATCH CLASSIFICATIONS...
This interactive map is a product of research examining landscape connectivity for arboreal wildlife across urbanisation gradients in Peninsular Malaysia.
Each forest patch is classified into one of six conservation tiers using a Patch Structural Quality Index (PSQI), which combines five patch-scale landscape metrics: total area, core area, contiguity index, perimeter-area ratio, and Euclidean nearest-neighbour distance. Connectivity values are derived from circuit theory modelling using Omniscape, which simulates the flow of movement current across the landscape under varying resistance assumptions.
For more information about the methodology, please visit Benjamin Galea on ResearchGate.
Built by Benjamin Galea. Contact bengalea.eco@gmail.com for any enquiries.
Zoom into any part of Kuantan until green forest patches appear on the map. You can also use the search bar in the sidebar to jump to a specific location. Right-click and drag to tilt the map into 3D view, or drag with both fingers if using a mobile device. The map works best on a desktop browser.
Each patch is coloured according to its conservation tier, which reflects its relative patch structure within the landscape:
These tiers combine patch area, core area, contiguity, shape and distance to the nearest patch. The titles describe the structural ranking used here; they do not establish forest age, species richness or wildlife occupancy.
Use the "Filter by category" checkboxes in the sidebar to show or hide individual tiers on the map.
Outside the development workflow, click any forest patch to see its details in the sidebar. The panel shows the conservation tier, a plain-language explanation of its structural ranking, and the distance to the nearest adjacent patch. Expand "Show technical details" to see the individual landscape metrics. Each metric has a small "i" button you can click for a plain-language explanation.
Where available, a small forest-name line appears below the area summary. Select it to expand the OpenStreetMap names, boundary coverage and source links. A patch can overlap several named forests. Select View mapped boundary to see the source. These names do not confirm legal reserve boundaries; an unnamed patch can still be forest. The same matches are used on downloaded report cards.
Click Test a development to assess a proposed road, building site or other development. Zoom to its location before drawing. Your drawing marks the area assumed to be cleared.
Compare Before development and With development. Green shows forest remaining, red shows forest cleared, and the orange outline marks your development footprint. The results report forest loss and remaining fragments, assuming complete forest clearance inside the footprint.
Return to Draw and calculate to edit your shape. Selecting another shape replaces the current drawing. Recalculate after editing. Start again clears the drawing and route markers; Return to patch explorer restores normal patch inspection.
Select Potential routes after calculating your footprint. Place A and B at the two locations you want to connect, such as forest on either side of a proposed development. Choose A and click or tap the map, then place B. The comparison calculates automatically.
The dashed purple route shows the potential route before development. The solid orange route avoids your footprint, which is treated as a barrier. Both connect the same A and B. Select View routes on map to bring them into view. The result explains whether an alternative route remains or the connection is blocked under the model.
These are potential connections, which may need protection or restoration to become functioning wildlife corridors. Development can obstruct a future corridor opportunity before one is established. Blue areas show baseline high flow. Routes need field assessment.
Resistance cost combines route distance and mapped resistance. The before-development route is set to 100: a with-development score of 120 means 20% more resistance between the same A and B. This is a route comparison, not a percentage of habitat lost or wildlife survival.
Select a patch on the map, then choose Add to comparison in its details. Add up to three different patches. Numbered markers identify them on the map; use Show on map in the comparison table to revisit a selected patch. Open Compare patches to view their area, core area, nearest-neighbour distance and other attributes side by side. The table uses the mapped attributes; unavailable values are shown explicitly. Remove individual patches or clear the comparison to choose another set. It compares attributes and does not rank the patches.
Open Measure and export in the sidebar. Choose Measure distance, then click or tap along a path, including each bend. Use at least two points and select Finish measurement, or press Enter. For Measure area, place at least three corners around the boundary, then finish. Distances are reported in metres or kilometres and areas in hectares. These are map measurements, without terrain adjustment. Press Escape to cancel an unfinished measurement, or choose Clear measurement to remove it. Patch inspection is paused while placing points; the development workflow and measurement drawing operate one at a time.
The filter summary lists the selected tiers and applied area limits. Reset all filters restores all tiers and clears the area limits. An empty-view message refers to the current map view: zoom in, move the map or reset filters to find patches. A rejected area range does not change the filters already applied.
Select Download map PNG under Measure and export. The image captures the current map with a legend for the displayed layers, a scale bar, active-filter information, date and map attribution. Visible measurements and numbered comparison markers are included. Move and zoom the map first to frame the area you want. The exported image is a reference map for presentations or discussions.
Click any forest patch to open its details in the sidebar, then click the Download report card button at the bottom of the panel. The card will generate automatically and download as a PNG image to your device.
Each report card includes the patch's conservation tier, GPS coordinates, and all six structural metrics. It also shows the actual shape of the patch drawn to scale, a tier spectrum bar indicating where it sits relative to the other tiers in the landscape, and a QR code you can scan to reopen that exact patch view in the platform. Where available, the nearest named forest reserve is shown at the top of the card.
Report cards are intended for sharing findings, preparing reports, or referencing specific patches outside of the platform. They are for reference purposes only and do not constitute a formal environmental assessment.
The URL in your browser updates automatically as you pan and zoom, so you can bookmark or share a link that opens the map at exactly the same position. Click the 🔗 Share button in the top bar to copy the current link directly to your clipboard.
Use the "Filter by patch area" tool in the sidebar to show only patches above or below a certain size in hectares. This can help you focus on large core habitats or identify which smaller patches are most at risk.
Built by Benjamin Galea. Contact bengalea.eco@gmail.com with any questions.