1. WG Land Use and Land Cover
LU/LC Data Sources
WG Land Use and Land Cover

2. Land data is obtained by using…
Satellite or aerial image interpretation
Map sources
Administrative information
Detailed in-situ observations
Combinations of the above
Eurostat and the Member States collect land cover/use related data and statistics in several contexts and with a wide range of methods: from satellite images to detailed in-situ observations.
Although several attempts have been made throughout the years to obtain a comprehensive catalog of such sources, the task has not been easy to complete.
Eg. Eurostat has several interesting LC and LU data sources available

3. Information available @ EUROSTAT
WG Land Use and Land Cover

4. Information available @ EUROSTAT
LUCAS primary data
LUCAS statistical tables
Crop statistics
Farm Structure Survey
Forest statistics
Total length of motorways and railways

5. LUCAS – Primary data Available for 2009
Preliminary release 2012 in April 2013
All variables collected in the survey (including modules eg. transect, irrigation) except soil (JRC)
Complemented by photo collection for each point

6. LUCAS – Statistical tables
The LUCAS survey is a land cover/use area frame survey carried out every three years ( ) directly by Eurostat. Eurostat releases two types of LUCAS data:
a) land cover, land use and landscape statistics at NUTS2 level
b) primary point data and landscape and crop photos.
The land cover statistics consists of an overview table and more detailed tables on
artificial land (NUTS1),
grassland,
shrubland,
woodland (also area size and canopy coverage are included) and
water and wetland.
The land use tables consists of an land use overview table and more detailed tables on
agricultural land use
land use with heavy environmental impact at country level
land use in services and residential by NUTS 2 regions
In addition, a cross-tabulation land cover/land use is offered at NUTS1 level.
Unless stated otherwise
Eurobase Land cover and land use overview by NUTS 1 regions (lan_ovw) including the 8 top level headings of the LUCAS land cover classification
Eurobase Land cover and land use overview by NUTS 1 regions (lan_ovw) including the 6 top level headings of the LUCAS land use classification

7. Crop statistics Yearly detailed data on agricultural land use
Long time-series
Detailed legend for arable, permanent crops and grassland
Base for agro-environmental indicators
No longer inlcudes non-agricultural categories
Crop statistics are based on Regulation 543/2009. Eurostat publishes yearly detailed data on crops (arable and permanent) production areas and agricultural land use. The land use part has covered in the past in addition to crops and agricultural grasslands also forests, wooded areas, inland waters and other areas at national level. However, after the new crop statistics regulation entered into force in 2009, the non-agricultural categories have been dropped. Despite of that some countries have continued to provide them on a voluntary basis.
The crop statistics are a very reliable source for agricultural land use with a very detailed legend for both arable and permanent crops and grasslands. It is published yearly and it has a very long time-series. From generic land cover/use point of view the lack of non-agricultural areas is a clear weakness.
The published agri-environmental indicators include two which have a direct bearing on land cover/use issues. They are the greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and the gross nutrient balances. The data is released at national level.

8. Farm Structure Survey 10 Year census of farms with UAA>1 ha
Sample updates every 2-3 years
Agriculture land use with detailed breakdown for arable, permanent fodder, grassland, wooded area, mushrooms, energy crops and GMO
Irrigation, organic farming, grazing
AEI on irrigation
Only includes land belonging to the holdings
The FSS covers indicators on farm size, labour force, livestock, other gainful employment, land use for arable land and permanent crops, organic farming, training of farmers, machinery, grazing, irrigation and animal housing.
In this context the most interesting variables are linked to land use, irrigation, grazing and organic farming.
Land use is available with a very detailed breakdown for arable and permanent crops, fodder crops, permanent grassland, fallow land, kitchen gardens, wooded area, mushroom, energy crop and GMO crop area. The data is available by type and size of farm and partially down to NUTS 2 area.
The irrigation data covers total irrigable area, average irrigated area in the past three years, irrigated area by the main crops in the past 12 months, irrigation method, source of water and used water volume at NUTS2 level.
The grazing data covers the type of grazing (pasture, rough grazing, permanent grassland not grazed), duration of grazing period and number of animals and holdings exercising common land grazing. The grazing data is only available at country level.
The data for organic farming covers area and number of farms practicing organic farming and the area of arable land, permanent crops (by main crops) and animals under the organic regime.
Agro-environmental data on irrigation (based on the FSS data) will be soon published at NUTS3 level.

9. Forest Statistics FAO Forest Resource Assessment Forest Europe
Global comparability
Only available at national level
The world-wide collection of forestry statistics is carried out by the Inter-Secretariat Working Group (IWG) on Forest Sector Statistics, consisting of Eurostat, the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) and ITTO (International Tropical Timber Organization). The primary tool is the annual Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire, which is used by all four partners to collect data using a set of harmonised product aggregations, codes and definitions. Each agency is responsible for a certain number of countries. Eurostat deals with the EU and EFTA countries. After validation, the partners share the data and use it in publications. Co-operation is organised through the annual meetings of the IWG.
However the most interesting forest related statistics in the context of land cover/use are not collected by Eurostat, but by the FAO, UNECE, the European Commission's departments for Environment and the Joint Research Centre. They include the forest area, wood volume, defoliation on sample plots, data on forest fires and areas with protective functions mostly at national level. They include the following indicators:
Area of forests
Area of other wooded land
Forests available for wood supply
Defoliation classes per forest type (coniferous/broad-leaved)
Total number and area affected by forest fires and the cause of the fire
Protective forests with
soil, water and other ecosystem or
infrastructure managed natural resources functions

10. WG Land Use and Land Cover
Other data sources
Still at european level, mapping iniciatives like Corine LC or the European Forest Map provide alternate sources of information.
WG Land Use and Land Cover

11. European level (map) sources
Corine Land Cover
Pan-European forest/non forest map

12. Administrative data Land Parcel Identification System Cadastral data
Confidenciality
Availability
Timeliness …

13. Crowdsourcing Open street map Over one million registered users
"How to tag everything from an Acacia tree to a zoological garden"
Quality issues
Are we ready?

14. National data source inventory
But it is expected that at national level we can find more detailed data (better spatial and temporal resolutions)
In the past Eurostat and EEA have promoted a questionnaire to evaluate existing data sources. Conclusions were presented at the previous WG and information can be found on CIRCA. Nevertheless more recent attempts were made
WG Land Use and Land Cover

15. National data source inventory
Eurostat / EEA Joint Questionnaire
LUCAS Advisory Group
FP7 HELM
Contact list
Feature list
INSPIRE Geo Portal
Grantees
Within the AG, LUCAS asked the members to provide information on whether

16. LUCAS Advisory Group
Within the AG, LUCAS asked the members to inform on available statistical sources for LC and LU. LC seems to be better covered than use. These tables are not very detailed, but the ongoing Grants will certainly give us a clear picture of what can be used to derive statistical information on cover and use in each country.

17. FP7 Helm Builds upon the Eurostat and EEA questionnaire
National experts collect the information locally
Project is over in 2013

18. INSPIRE Geoportal Single entry point
Member states update their information ad-hoc
Very rich database

20. We invite you to…
take an active part in on-going initiatives aiming at the collection of metadata regarding existing data sources on Land Cover and Land Use at national level (eg. Inspire GeoPortal)
consider further cooperation with Eurostat in future initiatives on collection of existing national data sources with relevance for Land Use and Land Cover assessment (eg. Grants)