1. Land Cover and Land Use Statistics
European Statistical Data Support Working Group
Luxembourg February 2012
15 February 2012
Eurostat E4 – Land cover/use team

2. Content Land cover/use statistics LUCAS
Main methodological aspects
LUCAS 2009
LUCAS 2012
Data & other products available
Statistics
Primary data
Photos
Publication
15 February 2012
European data needs

3. Land cover/use
Land cover refers to the observed (bio)physical cover of the earth's surface.
vegetated areas (trees, bushes, crops, grasses, herbs);
artificial areas (buildings, roads);
bare soil (rock, sand);
wet areas and bodies of water (sheets of water and watercourses, wetlands).
Land use refers to the socio-economic purpose of the land.
Residential, industrial, agricultural, forestry, recreational, transport etc. areas
15 February 2012
European data needs

4. Land cover/use statistics
Land cover/use statistics are aggregated to an administrative area (e.g. NUTS area), grid based or linked to otherwise defined areas (e.g. river catchments etc.)
Land cover/use statistics are used for
nature protection,
forest and water management,
urban and transport planning,
agricultural policy,
natural hazards prevention and mitigation,
soil protection and mapping,
monitoring climate change,
biodiversity, etc.
15 February 2012
European data needs

5. Collection of land cover/use statistics
Eurostat collects land cover/use statistics in several ways:
From the Member States:
As part of crop statistics
As part of FSS
As part of forest statistics
Joint Estat/OECD questionnaire
Directly by Eurostat
LUCAS
Partial coverage, not comparable
11% of the MS replied
Fully harmonised;
Provides LC and LU data, and in-situ data;
Expensive
15 February 2012
European data needs

6. Estimates computation Photo-interpretation:
LUCAS methodology
1st phase sample:
2 km grid
Orthophotos
Stratification
Survey forms
Estimates computation
2nd phase sample
Ground survey
LU/LC results
Photo-interpretation:
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European data needs

7. Sampling strategy: sampling design
points
LAND COVER classes
1 ARABLE LAND
2 PERMANENT CROPS
3 GRASSLAND
4 WOODED AREAS AND SHRUBLAND
5 BARE LAND, RARE VEGET.
6 ARTIFICIAL LAND
7 WATER
First phase sample for stratification: orthophoto interpretation
2km squared grid
Ground survey
Parameters
Land cover
Land use
pictures
etc.
Sample of around 260,000 pts
Second phase sample: in-situ data collection
15 February 2012
European data needs

8. LUCAS parameters Land cover (1 & 2) Land use (1 & 2)
Land Cover percentage
Area size
Height of trees
Width of features
Transect (250 m to east) with Land Cover and linear features
Land management (grazing)
Water management
SOIL SAMPLE
West
East
North
South
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European data needs

9. Nomenclature LUCAS: Land Cover
Built-up areas
A20
Artificial non built-up areas
B10
Cereals (+ triticale)
B20
Root crops
B30
Non permanent industrial crops
B40
Dry pulses, vegetables and flowers
B50
Fodder crops
B70
Fruit trees & berries
B80
Other Permanent Crops
C10
Broadleaved and evergreen woodland
C20
Coniferous woodland
C30
Mixed woodland
D10
Shrubland with sparse tree cover
D20
Shrubland without tree cover
E10
Grassland with sparse tree/shrub cover
E20
Grassland without tree cover
E30
Spontaneous vegetation
F00
Bare Land
G10
Inland water bodies
G20
Inland running water
G30
Coastal water bodies
G50
Glacier, permanent snow
H10
Inland wetlands
H20
Coastal wetlands
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European data needs

10. Nomenclature LUCAS: Land Use
Agriculture ( + Kitchen garden + Fallow land)
U120
Forestry
U130
Fishing
U140
Mining, Quarrying
U210
Energy production
U220
Industry & Manufacturing
U310
Transport, communication, …
U320
Water & waste treatment
U330
Construction
U340
Commerce, Finance, Business
U350
Community Services
U360
Recreation, Leisure, Sport
U370
Residential
U400
Abandoned and Unused
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European data needs

11. LUCAS LUCAS 2009 first pure LC/LU survey funded by Eurostat
points were visited in 23 countries by 492 surveyors (BG, CY, MT and RO not included).
Soil module (ENV + JRC)
The LC/LU statistics were released in summer 2010-
Eurobase
New website
Press release
SIF on landscape indicators
Articles in Eurostat Yearbook, Regional Yearbook, Agricultural Pocketbook
It turned out to be a BIG success.
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European data needs

12. LUCAS 2012 main features All 27 EU countries are involved.
Sample includes 270,389 points.
2 newcomers: CY and MT.
Soil sampling in BG and RO.
LUCAS 2012 methodology as similar as possible as in 2009.
Field work in March-September 2012.
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European data needs

13. From data to estimates
LUCAS point data is quality controlled (minimum 2 steps).
Eurostat validates the data.
Estimates based on the weights are calculated and fine-tuned.
Estimates released at NUTS2 level for Land Cover, Land Use, combinations of the two, changes ( ), etc.
Dissemination in Eurobase and Eurostat publications.
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European data needs

14. In-situ data
Eurostat is interested in statistics but many of the LUCAS data users considers LUCAS mainly as in-situ data:
Point data
Photos (more than 3 million!)
Agro-environmental data
LUCAS data is the main European in-situ data source for
Many GMES applications: CLC, high resolution layers, urban atlas etc.
Biodiversity issues
High nature value farmland
etc.
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European data needs

15. Access to the data: statistics
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European data needs

16. Main tables: land cover
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European data needs

17. Main tables: Land Use
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18. Main Tables: Landscape
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19. Forthcoming data releases
This week: land cover/land use cross-tables
Later this year: More detailed statistics on forests
Q2 2013: LUCAS 2012 main tables: Land cover/Land use
Towards the end of 2013: More detailed tables from LUCAS 2012 survey
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European data needs

20. Website: Overview
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21. Primary data: point data
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22. Photos Millions of landscape photos available.
Because of the volume of the data at the moment only by request.
In the future it will
also be available on-line.
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European data needs

23. Statistics Explained
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European data needs

24. Other publications Regional yearbook 2011 Eurostat Yearbook 2012
15 February 2012
European data needs

25. Thank you for your attention!
15 February 2012
European data needs