CORINE LAND COVER PROJECT 1990-2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1985, Co-ORdination of INformation on the Environment (CORINE) established by the EU to create databases on land cover, biotopes, soil map, acid rain. The CORINE land cover (CLC) project provides a pan-European inventory of biophysical land cover, using 44 classes and a minimum mapping unit of 25 ha at 1:1000,000 scale. This land cover data was interpreted from satellite images using a common methodology throughout Europe. Land cover datasets are recognised by decision makers as key reference sources for spatial and territorial analysis and facilitate integrated environmental assessment.

 

The CLC 1990 (Ireland) database was the first complete land cover database produced for the country. The development of this database was based on the visual interpretation of satellite imagery (for 1989 and 1990) and the allocation of land cover types to one of 35 standard land cover classes. A number of these land cover classes were further subdivided to address particular national needs and conditions.

 

An update of this database has now been completed, thereby facilitating an assessment of land use change in Ireland between 1990 and 2000. The CLC2000 project involved the assessment and correction of the CLC90 land cover database and satellite images for geometric and thematic content, followed by mapping of land cover changes using 2000 satellite imagery and ancillary data. The publication of this inventory is timely, providing a quantitative dataset of land use changes during a period of unprecedented economic growth in Ireland.

 

National CLC datasets have been prepared using the European Environment Agency (EEA) methodology, consisting of Products 1, 2 and 3 following:

 

·         Product 1: National CLC2000: national land cover database for 2000 as result of the data collection and processing exercise performed by each national team including generalisation to 35 classes, 25 ha minimum mapping unit, in geographical co-ordinates, in vector format. This includes the Grassland and Peatland database in which the 2.3.1 Pasture and 4.1.2 Peat bogs classes have been further divided into Level 4, 5 and 6 to better address the National needs.

 

·         Product 2: Revised National CLC1990: national land cover database for 1990 as result of the data collection and processing exercise performed by each national team including generalisation to 35 classes, 25 ha minimum mapping unit, in geographical co-ordinates, in vector format. Since the production of the CLC1990 for Ireland, it has become apparent that there are some errors; both with the geometric accuracy of the images, but more importantly with the classification of certain land cover classes. This product was originally prepared in 1992. The improvement of digital technology and availability of additional ancillary data allowed a revised database to be prepared, allowing more accurate estimates of land use change

 

·         Product 3: National land cover database on land cover changes larger than 5 ha between CLC1990 and CLC2000, in geographical co-ordinates, in vector format.