My Maps Mashup

This session will focus on creating data visualizations with My Maps, a simple tool for creating interactive web maps. You’ll learn how to import and style geographic data from spreadsheets in My Maps, and how to handle different types of map files that you download from the web including from GIS applications. You will style your map to give it the maximum impact.

Our Google Earth > Import GIS Data session will show you how to use Google Earth Pro to format SHP and other data types for import into My Maps.

Also check out our two prior My Maps sessions, Create & Embed a My Maps and Community Mapping with My Maps for more tips and tricks,

MyMapsMashup.mp4

Case Study

Nasbah Ben

Nasbah Ben is Navajo, from the Navajo Nation in Arizona. She currently works with the Tribal Community Coordinating Center in Northern California to provide culturally appropriate guidance and assistance to California Indian Tribes to access and implement tobacco-related programs. She is an advocate for developing tools for Tribal communities that establish Tribal sovereignty and cultural appropriate representation.

Arizona Consultation Toolkit

https://sites.google.com/view/az-consultation-toolkit/home

More My Maps Mashup Examples

Sac and Fox Nation Tribal Response Program Climate Adaptation Planning Map and Environmental Assessment Map

Navajo Nation Red Water Pond Community Uranium Contamination Case Study

Base map layers for Native Village of Gakona, Alaska Community Mapping

Hands-on Activity

My Maps is a user friendly, lightweight platform that you can use to quickly build maps with data from many different sources. You can create up to 10 layers in a My Maps. Imported KML map files can have up to 5 MB of content, and you can import spreadsheets as well as adding content directly to layers using the point, line and polygon tools. Today we will build a My Maps mashup using KML files downloaded from online sources; a spreadsheet containing the answers to a Google Form that you will fill out; and content that you will add directly to the map.

My Maps are easy to build collaboratively, as will be demonstrated by our group activity. They are also easy to embed in your website, and are a simple way to share content with your community.

The My Maps that will be used in our group activity today is embedded below.

Add Map Files from Data Warehouses

We will use the files in this folder to create layers in our demonstration My Maps that is embedded above. The US Census Bureau American Indian/Alaska Native reservation boundary files were downloaded from this website. Since the KML file was above the limit for a single My Maps layer (it was 5.2 MB) we imported it into Google Earth Pro and created two smaller KML files (this will be covered in our GEP sessions). The First Nations Centroids were created by Dr. Brian Thom at the University of Victoria from a SHP file that he formatted into two smaller KML files for use in My Maps.

Examples of online map file warehouses for maps mashups

Canada

Canadian Government Natural Resources SHP files - these can be converted to KML using Google Earth Pro and then imported into Google My Maps

Aboriginal Lands of Canada Legislative Boundaries

Reserve "centroids" data layer provided by Dr. Brian Thom, University of Victoria Ethnographic Mapping Lab. The file was split into two parts because it was over the 5 MB limit for a layer in My Maps.

National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI)

United States

US Census Bureau AI/AN boundaries files

EPA EnviroMapper

Click here for a workshop on using US federal agency websites to download environmental map files for import into My Maps

Use a Google Form and Response Sheet to Import into a My Maps Layer

Please take a few minutes to fill out the form below. This information will be public, so you don't have to put any private information on the form. The Google Form sends your responses to the Google Sheet that is embedded below on the right. We will import this Google Sheet into our group My Maps and create a layer with your responses.

My Maps Mashup 2021 IMW (Responses)

Edit the My Maps

Now we will add content directly to the My Maps. You will need to sign into your Google Account and then click on the map link . The screenshots below show you how to get into edit mode once you get to the map.

Click on this link to go to the map group map in edit mode

You will need to click Sign in, then sign into your Google Account and Click EDIT.

Create a Google Account

My Maps help

Look for the layer labeled "Places we are proud of". Click on the layer (look for the blue border on the left of the layer).

Now search for a place that you are proud of in your community.

Click +Add to map.

Click on the pencil icon to get into edit mode then remove the autogenerated content.

Give your map marker a title and tell us why you are proud of it. Add your first name or nickname.

Now look for the layer labeled "Places we are concerned about" and do the same for this layer. Click on the layer and search for a place. Add a marker, give it a title and tell us why you are concerned about it. Add your first name or nickname to the marker box.