Connecting to the WildMap Database - QGIS

Connecting to imagery

Start by adding an OpenStreetMap layer - go to XYZ Layer in the Browser window on the left panel and double-click on OpenStreetMap to add it to the Layers window (this can also be achieved by clicking on Layer > Add Layer > Add XYZ Layer > select OpenStreetMap from the dropdown list > click Add). Zoom in to your area of interest (this is only needed so that you are looking at the correct part of the world, as Zoom to layer does not work with tiles).

To add the imagery

1. To find the URL for the drone imagery, go to your datasets area on WildMap (contact ACE Nature if you do not know how to do this) select the Drone imagery table, and copy the relevant URL from within the URL column in the table
2. In QGIS, go to Layer > Add Layer > Add XYZ layer
3. Click on New
4. Give the connection a name – e.g. BeaverProject – Sept 2020
5. Paste the URL into the URL field
6. If your imagery requires authentication, follow the authentication instructions below
7. Set Min & Max zoom levels (contact ACE Nature if you do not know these)
8. Click OK
9. Select the connection – e.g. BeaverProject – Sept 2020 from the connections list
10. Click Add, then Close

Repeat this for as many of the image layers as you need

Connecting to vector data

1. Open QGIS > Layer > Add Layer > Add ArcGIS REST Server layer
2. Select New
3. Give the connection a name – e.g. WildMap Database
4. Add the URL given to you by ACE Nature
5. Go to the Basic tab in the Authentication area, and add your email address and your WildMap database password. Click on 'Convert to configuration' - this is vital to protect your password. If this is the first time you have used the Convert to configuration button, please follow the authentication instructions below
6. Click OK
7. Select the relevant connection from the dropdown list and click Connect
8. Highlight the topmost item in the resulting list, and select Add
9. Close the connections window, and scroll down the Browser window on the left panel in QGIS until you see your connection – double click the connection several times until you can see the data layers – double click the layers of data that you want to view so that they appear in the Layers panel

Authentication in QGIS

If your imagery or vector data require authentication, go to the Basic tab in the Authentication area of the Data Source Manager dialogue, and add your email address and your WildMap password. Click on Convert to configuration – this is vital to protect the password! If this is the first time that you have done this, then QGIS will ask you to create a master password – this can be anything you like (ie. it does not have to be the same as your WildMap password). You must remember this password as you will need it each time you use this connection in QGIS. After entering your password you will need to click OK and accept the changes to get back to the connections window