Compiling a high-resolution country-level ecosystem map to support environmental policy: methodological challenges and solutions from Hungary

Abstract

High-resolution ecosystem maps increase the efficiency of policy implementation. However, due to challenges related to both data and methods, such maps of appropriate scale and quality are still rarely available for nationwide analyses. We present solutions to some typical challenges of national-scale ecosystem mapping through the new Ecosystem Map of Hungary. It is a comprehensive, spatially and thematically detailed map with a hierarchical typology. The mapping methodology combined several novel elements from the integration of various large-scale databases in a (theoretical) data cube to the use of image-based predictive mapping (with a Random Forest classifier, using Sentinel-1 and -2 and environmental data). A participatory method involving local experts was used for validation, addressing the lack of suitable reference data as well as improving map-maker and map-user interaction. Besides the original objective of supporting conservation-related decision-making, further uses emerged from a variety of fields including spatial planning, education and recreation.

Keywords:

• Ecosystem mapping
• national ecosystem assessment
• image-based predictive mapping
• ecosystem map users
• participatory validation

Acknowledgements

The map was created in the frames of the EU co-financed project ‘Strategic Assessments supporting the long term conservation of natural values of community interest as well as the national implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020’ (KEHOP-4.3.0-VEKOP-15-2016-00001). The program is financed by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the Széchenyi 2020 Development Program and implemented within the framework of the Environmental and Energy Efficiency Operational Program. The writing process was supported by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund, financed under the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (projects OTKA/134329 and OTKA/135252). We would like to express our thanks especially for the work of the experts participating in the validation of the map and their contribution to the final methodology.

Data referred to as OSM copyrighted OpenStreetMap contributors and available from https://www.openstreetmap.org.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The ecosystem map of Hungary is publicly available and (after filling in a short questionnaire) downloadable at the project homepage along with detailed results of the validation process and answers to the validators’ comments. A very detailed documentation of the process is available at the project website (currently in Hungarian but translation to English is in progress). The raw data of the validation and feedback from the prospective users are available on request from the corresponding author (E.T.) after anonymization. Please note that the validators and most of the prospective users providing answers were Hungarian so most of their answers are in that language.