1. Eurostat E-1 - Structural Statistics, Agriculture
Land Use/Cover Area Frame Statistical Survey
The redefined LUCAS Grid
First experiences with the European grid
P. Jacques
Eurostat E-1 - Structural Statistics, Agriculture

2. What is LUCAS A point frame survey to :
Obtain harmonised data at EU25 level on:
Land Use and Cover
Environmental features
Using a common methodology-nomenclature ensuring full comparability of results
Obtain early estimates of areas (main crops)
Analyse interaction agriculture-environment-landscape (multi-purpose survey)

3. The LUCAS Grid
PSU
10 SSU
300 m

4. The Projection

5. LUCAS ( ) - Problems
Accuracy of estimates: categories of main interest (such as cereals, arable land, permanent grassland, permanent crops, forests, urban areas, inland waters) should be provided with precision not larger than 2%;
Sampling plan: options taken for the projection of the grid has caused accuracy and positioning problems.
Comparability of some of the gathered environmental parameters is not ensured as well as land use/land cover data
Cost of the surveys is still very high and more specifically for phase II.
Timeliness : The results of ground surveys often arrived late (end August/September)

6. Context Moving from 15 to 25 MS.
LUCAS : a survey for providing data at EU level (possibility to personnalise to MS’ needs).
Operational survey in Italy (Istat), Experiments in Greece (JRC)
INSPIRE : Results of the grid workshop
Reform of the CAP, more interest in Environment, sustainable agriculture

7. Elements to be improved
Projection
Grid
Precision of the survey
Sampling Scheme
Stratification
Surveyed variables/procedures
Informatics
Quality of the survey

8. Photo-Interpretation
New Process
points
Photo-Interpretation
Stratum
Points
Arable
uuuuu
Water
xxxxxx
Artificial
yyyyyy
Wooded
zzzzz
Sampling
points
Survey
Compute statistics

9. The new projection (LAEA)

10. The new Grid : 1 KM
For clarity:
100 KM grid

11. Some Conclusions Grid has been created on 23 MS Survey 2005
Arc/info too limited to manage points
Difficult to have coverages providing necessary cartographic data at a high scale – NUTS, borders..
LAEA to be converted in local MS coordinates
Points numbering not yet achieved
Survey 2005
First try on LT, LV and PL
Photo-interpretation on ~16000 points done in LV, Started in LT, post-stratification in PL.
Survey 2006
P.I. on 23 MS will start on 1/4/05 on ~ points
Difficulty to get access to orthophotos