LDN Toolbox
Welcome to the Toolbox
The LDN Toolbox is a user-oriented entry point to a suite of analytical tools, datasets and methods for land use planning towards land degradation neutrality. The workflow of the toolbox is structured according to the typical 5 phases of an integrated land use planning cycle, as presented in a report of the UNCCD Science-Policy interface on “The contribution of integrated land use planning and integrated landscape management to implementing Land Degradation Neutrality: Entry points and support tools” (see page 30). Explore the tools by clicking Learn More button on each listed tool.
Locality mapping
6. November 2023
Stakeholders, either individually or in a group, draw a map of discussed geographic unit containing boundaries and important features, e.g., roads, rivers, towns and property boundaries.
Learn moreEarth Map
20. January 2025
Earth Map, developed by FAO and Google, is a user-friendly tool that leverages Google Earth Engine’s capabilities to provide extensive land monitoring and analysis.
Learn moreQGIS
13. December 2024
QGIS (Quantum Geographic Information System) is a powerful, open-source GIS software that enables users to analyze, visualize, and manage spatial data.
Learn moreResilience Diagnostic and Decision Support Tool (RDDST)
7. November 2023
Part of Stakeholder Approach to Risk Informed and Evidence Based Decision Making (SHARED). Web-based tool that compiles spatial and census data on social, economic and biophysical parameters.
Learn moreQuestionnaire on Sustainable Land Management Technologies
7. November 2023
The ultimate goal of documenting and assessing land management practices is to share and spread valuable knowledge in land management, support evidence-based decision-making, and scale up identified good/ best practices.
Learn moreIMPACT Toolbox
26. July 2022
The IMPACT Toolbox, developed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, is a free, open-source application for land monitoring. It supports forest degradation mapping, soil erosion assessment (RUSLE), and spatial statistics in a portable GIS environment enabling non-specialist users to process, validate, and share data for sustainable land management at local, national, and regional levels.
Learn moreRevised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE)
7. November 2023
This method calculates or projects soil loss from water erosion using spatial data on topography, climate, soils, land cover and management. It assesses current soil loss and models future impacts under climate and land-use scenarios for sustainable land planning.
Learn moreKoBoToolbox
3. May 2024
KoBoToolbox is an open-source platform that enables easy data collection and analysis in both online and offline settings. Within the GEO-LDN Toolbox, it supports land degradation assessments by capturing geospatial, environmental, and socio-economic data, allowing local communities to directly contribute to national decision-making processes for achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN).
Learn moreWOCAT Earth Engine Apps
15. November 2023
Mapping land degradation is complex due to diverse drivers, processes, and perceptions across time and space. WOCAT has developed cloud-based, user-friendly apps that integrate global, national, and local data to support evidence-based planning, participatory mapping, and monitoring towards LDN. These tools apply the principle of Convergence of Evidence, making land degradation mapping more accessible and actionable.
Learn moreFocus Groups
8. November 2023
Focus groups are a qualitative research method that capture collective perspectives on land management and development issues. They provide nuanced, context-specific feedback through group interaction, supporting participatory planning and inclusive decision-making.
Learn more