Using Google Earth Engine to develop interactive mapping tools for conservation planning

• We showed how Google Earth Engine (GEE) can be used to support conservation planning. • We used GEE to quantify changes in land cover over time across two study areas. • We developed two GEE Apps that integrate our results with publicly available data. • These apps could help stakeholders identify priority areas for conservation. • Similar methods could be used to help inform conservation planning in other locations. Recent advances in geographic information systems platforms and increased accessibility of remotely sensed imagery have provided researchers with more opportunities to inform conservation actions at large spatial scales. One such platform, Google Earth Engine (GEE), offers users access to a vast catalog of remotely sensed data and rapid cloud computing capabilities as well as the ability to create web-based mapping tools (i.e., GEE Apps) to visualize and share data with a wider audience. Here, we present two case studies demonstrating how researchers can utilize GEE for these purposes. Our first case study focused on the Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain and East Gulf Coastal Plain ecoregions in Louisiana, which includes seven conservation opportunity areas identified in Louisiana’s 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan as priority locations for the conservation of Species of Greatest Conservation Need. In our second case study, we focused on Ashe juniper ( Juniperus ashei )-oak ( Quercus spp.) forest and woodland in the Edwards Plateau and Cross Timbers ecoregions in Texas, where several species of conservation concern are at risk due to habitat loss and degradation (e.g., suburban and urban development). In both case studies, we used GEE to quantify changes in land cover over time and developed GEE Apps that integrate our results with publicly available data, providing stakeholders (e.g., government agencies, non-governmental organizations) with tools to identify priority conservation areas. Our case studies highlight how researchers can leverage GEE to process large datasets, model land cover, and create user-friendly tools that enhance conservation decision-making and stakeholder engagement.