Global human modification datasets of terrestrial ecosystems from 1990 to 2020

We developed datasets on the human modification of global terrestrial ecosystems from 1990 to 2020. The methods and data sources associated with these data are fully described in:

Theobald, D.M., Oakleaf, J.R., Moncrieff, G., Voigt, M., Kiesecker, J., and Kennedy, C.M. . Global extent and change in human modification of terrestrial ecosystems from 1990 to 2022. Scientific Data.

For each 5-year step from 1990 to 2020, 9 raster datasets are provided in cloud-optimized GeoTIFF format (300 m resolution, EPSG:4326). The naming convention is as follows: HMv2024080101_c__300, where is: 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, or 2020; “c” signifies a data consistent for the change datasets for 1990-2020; and is an intermediate aggregation of threats at for each IUCN taxonomy class, where: AA=all threats combined, AG=agricultural, BU=residential, commercial and recreation areas, EX=energy production and mining; FR=biological resource use; HA=human accessibility; NS=natural systems modification; PO=pollution; and TI=transportation and service corridors. Values are floating-point numbers, ranging from 0.0 - 1.0 (no modification, full modified).

These data are available as Google Earth Engine assets via this script (including 90 m): https://code.earthengine.google.com/1b7b5976fdd6189c6533ca00a46386d1

The Google Earth Engine script to calculate human modification is here: https://code.earthengine.google.com/59c0f7da25579422ce4d459abeae1b7d

The Google Earth Engine script to clip out custom extents and export to GeoTIFF is here: https://code.earthengine.google.com/44c9f092472edb9bac3c45096aa5091d

Please see companion repo here for datasets for 2022: https://zenodo.org/uploads/14502573.

Note: summary files have been updated, please use version from April 9, 2025.