1. “Land Cover/Use Statistics”
Item 6.2 of the agenda Proposals for additional modules and further improvements in the future Lucas data collection
WORKING GROUP
“Land Cover/Use Statistics”
7th – 8th June 2010 Luxembourg
LUCAS TEAM

2. Towards LUCAS 2012
LUCAS 2012 survey will continue to provide harmonised EU-wide statistical data on:
land cover/use status and changes.
Linear elements and land cover changes in the transect

3. LUCAS role in the LC/LU statistical system
LUCAS dataset represents an important step toward the set up of an integrated statistical system on land cover/use in EU
The plan is to promote the incorporation of main official statistical data sources in this system thereby stimulating the Member States to participate in an integrated and harmonised activity.

4. LUCAS grid as platform for collecting in-situ data in Europe – ADDS-on
Soil composition
Pollution
Biodiversity
Landscape

5. Adds-on and further improvement
ESTAT is currently exploring:
whether complementing the LUCAS survey with a collection campaign on specific agro-environmental and biodiversity subjects is feasible and could give an added value to the users (as it was already experienced with the soil module or the classification of the forest land cover into the 14 EUNIS classes in 2009);
how improving the relevance of the current LUCAS data collection, slightly modifying the instructions provided to the surveyors.

6. Priorities for LUCAS adds-on 2012
From preliminary investigations with other European Institutions (mainly DG ENV, DG JRC, DG ENTR – GMES bureau, EAA and European Topic Centre for Biodiversity) it came out that priority for adds-on should be given to those information:
not already available from Corine Land Cover (complementarity between LUCAS and Corine has to be maintained);
diminishing the knowledge gap for underpinning biodiversity policy;
eventually meeting reporting obligations of Member States (e.g. on Art. 17 Habitats Directive)

7. Priorities for LUCAS adds-on 2012
From preliminary investigations with other European Institutions (mainly DG ENV, DG JRC, DG ENTR – GMES bureau, EAA and European Topic Centre for Biodiversity) it came out that priority for adds-on should be given to those information:
not already available from Corine Land Cover (complementarity between LUCAS and Corine has to be maintained);
diminishing the knowledge gap for underpinning biodiversity policy;
eventually meeting reporting obligations of Member States (e.g. on Art. 17 Habitats Directive)

8. Main proposals
So far two main proposals were evaluated as potentially applicable to the LUCAS sampling scheme and organizational framework:
Grassland species/habitat/ecosystems monitoring;
Biodiversity and ecosystem services monitoring (more specifically insect, mollusc or bat recording and pollination service mapping).

9. Grassland indicator monitoring
Currently no mapping/monitoring of grassland species/habitats/ecosystems or their services is available at European level. Therefore including a survey on this category would be extremely relevant, if inline with and contributing to MS' monitoring exercises for their obligations according to Art. 17 Habitats Directive, and for underpinning target monitoring of EU post-2010 biodiversity strategy.
Feasibility:
the sampled areas should cover at least 1 ha. The LUCAS sample should foresee a subset of points extended to an area or taken more densely in specific environments;
surveyors would need a specific training to identify the species, habitats or ecosystems.

10. Species and Ecosystem services monitoring
High information value could be gathered on wildlife on LUCAS network with a repeated point visit (next day, in some months).
Different kinds of relevant species (e.g. Pollinators) presence and variety could be monitored via location of trap nesting in the surveyed points.
Advantages and feasibility:
this activity would meet the needs of giving information on ecosystem services closely linked to species, currently high on the political agenda
surveyors would not need any specific training

11. Further improvements for LUCAS 2012
Further improvements in the information already collected by LUCAS network could concern:
land cover changes and presence of linear elements along the transect;
four landscape pictures

12. Improvements in transect
Limitations:
Parameters collected in the transect are mainly qualitative (presence of linear elements, occurrence of a change in the land cover and kind of change);
list of linear elements and specification of their environmental value partially unsatisfactory
Improvements:
Add to the existing collected variables the size of each land cover occurrence;
Revise list of linear elements and clarify in advance their agro-environmental value.
Issue to be addressed:
Balance between increase of burden for the surveyor (and consequently of the survey cost) and improvements in the relevance of data.

13. Improvements in landscape pictures
A systematic and harmonized assessment and monitoring of landscape is currently lacking at the European level.
Previous studies on LUCAS data (Multi–dimensional cross-analysis of LUCAS data – landscape classification) have shown the high potentialities of LUCAS pictures for monitoring the agro-environment.
An assessment should be done with landscape experts to check whether the instructions currently given to the surveyors permit an exploitation of this source of information for landscape monitoring activity.

14. Member States are invited to:
express their view on the proposals currently identified;
make additional proposals.