Get started with
EcoViewer

Everything you need to start using EcoViewer — a quick-start guide, a walkthrough video, the source code, and answers to common questions.

Up and running
in four steps

No installation or account required. EcoViewer runs entirely in your browser through Google Earth Engine.

Open EcoViewer →
01

Open the app

Navigate to the EcoViewer app. The map will load centred on a default location. No sign-in is needed to browse reference layers.

02

Pick a location

Click anywhere on the map, or paste decimal coordinates (latitude, longitude) into the location box to jump to a specific point of interest.

03

Switch thematic panels

Switch between data panels using the Analysis Theme dropdown. Each panel gives you a different lens on the location — from biodiversity records to environmental conditions.

04

Read the statistics

Point statistics and dynamic charts update automatically for your selected location. Scroll down in the panel to see seasonal trends and frequency distributions.

Watch the
walkthrough

A guided tour of the EcoViewer interface, showing how to explore species occurrences, environmental layers, and the analytical tools available for any location on Earth.

Open source,
on GitHub

All EcoViewer code is publicly available under open-source licences. Browse, fork, or contribute via the repositories below.

JavaScript

EcoViewer App

Google Earth Engine JavaScript code powering the EcoViewer application — all thematic panels, data layers, and UI logic.

JavaScript MIT License
Python

GBIF Processing

Code for extracting and processing GBIF species occurrence data using BigQuery and the asynchronous pygbif API, matched to ecosystem types through an ecosystem indicator species approach.

Python MIT License
HTML / CSS

Website

The source code for this website — built with plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, hosted on GitHub Pages.

HTML MIT License

Common
questions

Do I need a Google account to use EcoViewer?

No. EcoViewer is freely accessible without any login. Some advanced Google Earth Engine features may prompt for a Google account, but browsing all reference layers requires none.

Is the code free to reuse?

Yes. All EcoViewer repositories are published under the MIT licence, which allows free use, modification, and redistribution with attribution.

How do I cite EcoViewer in my research?

Please cite the relevant datasets from the Environmental Layers page alongside the EcoViewer platform. A formal citation format for the platform itself will be added here once a reference publication is available.

Can I request a new dataset or feature?

Yes — open an issue on the EcoViewer App repository describing the dataset or feature you'd like to see. We review all suggestions.

Why is coverage limited in some regions?

EcoViewer depends on publicly available global datasets. Coverage quality varies by region and data source. We are continuously integrating new datasets to improve global coverage.

The app isn't loading — what should I do?

EcoViewer runs on Google Earth Engine infrastructure. If the app is unresponsive, check the Google Cloud status page for any ongoing outages, then try refreshing.

Want to contribute
to EcoViewer?

Open an issue, submit a pull request, or suggest a new dataset. All contributions are welcome — from bug reports to new data layers.

View on GitHub