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.