The article presents the results of the analysis of the protected plant species distribution on the Crimean peninsula using GIS technologies. The mapping of protected species is an important scientific and conservation task. The knowledge of the protected species location allows us to effectively select environmental protection measures, to introduce restrictions in the schemes of economic use and territorial planning. As a source of information, we used data from the Global Biodiversity Information Fund (GBIF), which unites such large databases of Russian biodiversity as the Moscow State University Digital Herbarium and the INaturalist portal. The resulting dataset includes 5187 records of 196 taxa of protected Crimean species. The dataset includes 58 plant families. It was determined that the maximum number of observations was noted for trees, especially conifers—high juniper (198) and deltoid juniper (286). Many observations are available for flowering plants—Crimean peony (157), purple orchis (161), dwarf iris (161). It is shown that a high concentration of finds of protected plant species is noted in the southwestern part of Crimea, on the southern coast and in the mountainous part. Separate local areas with protected plant species are noted along the sea coast. It is calculated that the largest number of detected protected plant species falls on the mid-mountain landscape level, the smallest—on the upland level. It was revealed that about 100 species of protected plants of Crimea are not registered in GBIF, which requires special research. The maximum number of species for which there are no data in the databases used are very rare and grow in remote parts of the peninsula. They are partly represented by relics, stenotopic species, single populations, which complicates their search. The obtained results can be used for monitoring protected plant species, territorial planning, environmental studies at the design stage of new residential and infrastructure facilities.
