Naturschutzbund

Visualizing the Ecosystem

For NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland) e. V., we visualize data and scientific findings for the position papers on biodiversity and forests. The position papers set out NABU’s demands, goals, and values, running to about 70 pages each. They cover major topics like species extinction and the complex forest ecosystem. With our data visualizations, we create more clarity and convey NABU’s messages through clear infographics and illustrations. This holds readers’ attention, and gives NABU a second layer for sharing its concerns and findings.

Task

Visualize statistics and data on the topics of forests and species conservation

Solution

Turn the data into infographics and illustrations

Services

Text analysis, illustration, isometric infographics optimized for print and online

The Data Behind Our Ecosystem

For the biodiversity position paper, NABU provides us with texts from which we extract suitable data for visualizations. Together, we determine which content is suited to infographics and illustrations. For the forest position paper, we receive the data directly from NABU.

For the biodiversity position paper, we develop five infographics, covering topics such as: species as indispensable building blocks of the ecosystem, illegal wildlife trade, preventing the species crisis, and species decline in Germany. For the forest position paper, topics include the forest’s ecosystem services, protected areas, a typical forest edge, and the developmental phases of a forest. Our visualizations convey relationships and biological processes in an understandable way.

Clear Visualizations for Dramatic Developments

Eight rows in red, the remaining two rows in blue: the meadow pipit population in Germany has shrunk by 79 percent in recent years. The full- and half-page infographics convey NABU’s knowledge on a relatable, emotional level. Our work is optimized for both web and print. In total, this produced more than 20 infographics with over 100 data points, reaching more than 50,000 people. To the biodiversity position paper.

We also found compelling ways to represent the forest position paper. After all, our forests are home to countless animal, fungal, and plant species. We visualize the forest ecosystem, for example, through icons we developed for different tree species. We arrange them on one plane so it almost looks like a 3D graphic. The diversity of tree species is shown as a pie chart. To the forest position paper.

Impact

The collaboration produced two parallel policy programs: for biodiversity alone, more than 20 infographics with over 100 data points, reaching more than 50,000 people. For the forest program, NABU supplies data on an ongoing basis, so the visualizations stay usable in print and online alike.