This is the second heat map for the Big Biodiversity Layer project. This heat map corresponds to the Nature30 biodiversity value "Near natural and recovering ecosystems that are underrepresented in the Protected Areas suite". Habitats have been used as a proxy for ecosystems to map this value, as habitat areas across Scotland and within the Protected Areas suite could be estimated, to identify those which are currently underrepresented. Percentages were estimated for the proportion of each habitat type which is currently protected, and for the proportion of Protected Areas which are covered by each habitat type. Based on a combination of these two percentages, each habitat was assigned a weighting to correspond with how well represented the habitat is currently. Lower weightings equal a habitat type with better representation currently, and higher weightings equal a habitat type which is not as well protected currently.
The methodology uses a 1kmx1km grid across Scotland. Habitats were mapped and split into the 1kmx1km grid. The area covered by each habitat type in each grid square was multiplied by the assigned weightings. These values were summed up for each grid square to generate the heat map across Scotland.