How to draw a new Place in Google MyMaps for uploading to iNaturalist

[jwidness]

Note: place creation is a large burden on iNaturalist, please see the warnings at https://www.inaturalist.org/places/new

Since iNaturalist removed the ability to draw a new place (see details in this post), here is a tutorial for drawing a shape in Google MyMaps, which can be imported into iNaturalist.

• go to https://mymaps.google.com/

• click CREATE A NEW MAP and zoom to your area of interest, here I’m drawing a place for the New York State Fairgrounds
  

  

• choose Draw a line->Add line or shape
  

  

• outline your area, clicking the first point again to complete the polygon, then give it a name and save it
  

  

• click the three vertical dots next to your layer name, then Export data->KML/KMZ
  

  

• choose KML rather than KMZ, then Download
  

  

• to upload your kml, go to https://www.inaturalist.org/places/new – it may take a few hours for iNat to fully process your place

[optilete]

How do I create a polygon, e.g. make first point of the second line be the second point of the first line? I use a mac at this moment and think it does not support the mouse…

One solution for macbook is to change the fysical mouse with a mouse that supports creating polygons in MyMaps. :-)

[tiwane]

Just wanted to thank Jane for making this, I’ve been linking to it when people ask questions via email. Thanks!