George Büttner: Institute of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing (FÖMI) Remote Sensing Centre Budapest, Hungary [email protected] CORINE LC database.

George Büttner:Institute of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing (FÖMI)

Remote Sensing CentreBudapest, [email protected]

CORINE LC database -the first consistent LC inventory completed

in the Phare countries

Contents:Looking back for a decade

Overview of participating countriesConclusions

Rrecommendation for I&CLC2000

The Fourth Annual EIONET Land Cover workshopPrague (Hotel Pyramida), 10-12 April 2000

CORINE Land Cover in the Phare countries A decade of efforts

1991: EC decision to extend CORINE to C&E Europe in the frames of the Phare Regional Environmental Programme

1992: „Phare countries are ready to start” - JRC/Ispra meeting

1992: Phare expert meeting on actual project implementation, Budapest, 1992

1992: Phare training for photointerpreters (BG, CS, H, PL, RO) - Karlik (near Prague)

1993-96: CLC implementation in BG, CZ, H, PL, RO, SK

1994: Conference: CORINE Inventories, Warszawa (>100 participants)

1996: Phare training for photointerpreters (EST, LT, LV, SLO) - Vilnius

1997: Phare Natural Resources CD-ROM

1997: Concluding workshop for 6 countries, start of countries - Prague

1997-:Operation of Phare Topic Link on Land Cover (PTL/LC, GISAT, CZ)

1996-98: CLC implementation in EST, LT, LV, SLO

1997: Workshop on Land Cover Applications - Needs and Use; Copenhagen

1998: Local training in Tirana, Skopje, Sarajevo

1998-2000: CLC implementation in AL, BIH and MK

CORINE Land Cover in the Phare countries

• project initiated by the European Commission• working scale - 1 : 100 000• minimum mapping unit: 25 ha• 28 countries are involved, 4.43 million km2

CLC in Phare countries: • 13 countries in 3 phases (1993-2000)• 1,183 M km2 altogether• 1133 map sheets

Purpose: To provide quantitative, consistentand comparable information on land cover

CORINE = Co-ordination of Information on the EnvironmentCORINE = Co-ordination of Information on the Environment

Land cover: biophysical coverage of the Earth’s surface (changes > 1 year)

CORINE Land Cover - methodology

Input:Landsat TM satellite imagephotomaps (scale 1 : 100 000)

Method:

Output:

Visual interpretation with computer assistance,use of ancillary information (maps, air-photos),field checking

Digital database including 44 categoriesin five groups: - artificial surfaces - agriculture - forest and semi-natural vegetation - wetlands - water bodies

The “BIBLE”: CORINE Land Cover Technical Guide (EC, 1994)

Supervision: Land Cover Technical Unit

CORINE Land Cover: Ancillary data

Topographic map (1985) Tuzla (BIH) Satellite image(1998)

CORINE Land Cover: Field checking

BULGARIACountry area: 110 910 km2Project duration: 1994-1996Contracted organisation: Ministry of Environment, National Centre for Environmental and Sustainable DevelopmentType of contract: direct contract with PhareProject leader: Stoyan Blagoev, MoEPeriod of satellite imagery: 1991-92Number of CLC map sheets: 105Number of photointerpreters: 7

Main difficulties met during project implementation:• autumn imagery did not support interpretation of 324• proper interpretation of mountainous regions (332, 333, 322) needed lots of additional correction• military airports were omitted from the final database because of security reasons

•Source: Phare Natural Resources CD-ROM

CZECH REPUBLIC

Country area: 78864 km2Project duration: 1993-1996Contracted organisation: GISATType of contract: direct contract with PhareProject leader: Jan Kolar, GISATPeriod of satellite imagery: 1989-92Number of CLC map sheets: 94Number of photointerpreters: 7

Main specialities / difficulties met during project implementation:• Czech and Slovak teams worked in close co-operation• 324 was used to map forest cut-over

Source: Phare Natural Resources CD-ROM

HUNGARY

Country area: 93030 km2Project duration: 1994-1996Contracted organisation: Institute of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing (FÖMI)Type of contract: direct contract with PhareProject leader: George Büttner, FÖMIPeriod of satellite imagery: 1990-92Number of CLC map sheets: 84Number of photointerpreters: 8 (6)

Main difficulties met during project implementation:• consistent separation of 231 and 321, problems with autumn imagery• classification of small (<25 ha) settlements• because of the MMU=25 ha, many important features were omitted

Main benefits of the project:• the first 1:100.000 LC database of the country • many applications in different fields• raised the need for a national 1:50.000 LC database (a project started in 1999 based on lessons learnt from standard CLC)

POLAND

Country area: 312685 km2Project duration: 1993-1996Contracted organisation: Institute of Geodesy and Cartography (IGiK)Type of contract: direct contract with PhareProject leader: Marek Baranowski, IGIKPeriod of satellite imagery: 1989-92Number of CLC map sheets: 297Number of photointerpreters: 12

Main difficulties met during project implementation:• keep consistency of the database (reduction of team)• use of spring and autumn imagery• interpretation of dispersed human habitats

Source: Phare Natural Resources CD-ROM

ROMANIACountry area: 238390 km2Project duration: 1993-1996Contracted organisation: Geological Institute of Romania (IGR)Type of contract: direct contract with PhareProject leader: Vasile Vajdea, IGPeriod of satellite imagery: 1989-92Number of CLC map sheets: 203Number of photointerpreters: 10

Main difficulties met during project implementation:• confusion is separating 321 and 231• rapid changes in agricultural land (imagery was outdated)• lack of optimally timed imagery to separate deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests

Source: Ms. A. Vajdea

Main benefits of the project:• Verified correctness of data in Statistical Yearbooks• Provided a geo-info database for the National Agency for Mineral Resources• Applications in erosion risk assessment, hyrological modelling, habitat estimation, etc..

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Country area: 49035 km2Project duration: 1993-1996Contracted organisation: Institute of Geography, Slovak Academy of SciencesType of contract: subcontract with GISAT (CZ)Project leader: Jan Feranec, IG SACPeriod of satellite imagery: 1989-92Number of CLC map sheets: 58Number of photointerpreters: 3

Specialities met during the project implementation:• Problems with distinguishing the CLC classes 231, 221 and 222 (young trees) in the lowland - agricultural landscape,• Problems with identification of the CLC classes in the mountain landscape• Shaded slopes

Source: Phare Natural Resources CD-ROM and J. Feranec

Main benefit of the project:A possibility to produce the first land cover database at scale 1:100 000 for the Slovak Republic - compatible with the other European countries - by using satellite images.

ESTONIACountry area: 45100 km2Project duration: 1996-1998Contracted organisation: Estonian Environment Information CentreType of contract: direct contract with Phare, limited tenderProject leader: Andrus Meiner, EEICPeriod of satellite imagery: 1993-1995Number of CLC map sheets: 37Number of photointerpreters: 3

Main difficulties met during project implementation:• delay in image map supply• low positional accuracy and data gaps of some image maps • applicability of classification developed for W,S and Central Europe to the N European conditions

Source: A. Meiner

Main benefits of the project: • First ever uniform, digital, public, clearly defined, nation-wide dataset;• Fruitful introduction of land cover concept in environmental management;• Update of land use/land cover national coverage;• Application which benefits to general RS/GIS development in Estonia.

LATVIACountry area: 63700 km2Project duration: 1996-1998Contracted organisation: Latvian Environment Data Centre (LEDC) and Department of Geodesy of Riga Technical University (DoG)Type of contract: direct contract with PhareProject leaders: Ieva Vaica, DoG and Harijs Baranovs, LEDCPeriod of satellite imagery: 1994-1995Number of CLC map sheets: 44Number of photointerpreters: 4

Main difficulties met during project implementation:• lack of fresh aerial photos for the East part• lots of compromises in interpretation of small (<25 ha) polygons • separation of 211 and abandoned arable land (231)

Source: Harijs Baranovs

Main benefits of the project:• availability of consistent database for the whole country, comparable with neighbour countries• numerous applications (19)

LITHUANIACountry area: 65200 km2Project duration: 1996-1998Contracted organisation: HNIT-Baltic GeoinfoservisasType of contract: direct contract with PhareProject leader: Rimantas Kaulakys, HNIT-BalticPeriod of satellite imagery: 1994-1995Number of CLC map sheets: 42Number of photointerpreters: 4

Main difficulties met during project implementation: •geometrical problems of satellite image hardcopies•separation of pastures and meadows (natural grassland)•border matching with Poland data: difference in MMU (20 ha/25 ha)

Source: R. Kaulakys

Main benefits of the project:• additional step to the European Community;• new experiences and skills in satellite image interpretation, in creation of thematic GIS databases, integration and in image processing• constructive collaboration and friendly relations with other CLC national teams and EEA experts• the database is available for all institutions intending to develop their own GIS (very different fields).

SLOVENIACountry area: 20250 km2Project duration: 1996-1998Contracted organisations: Slovenian Institute of Geodesy (GZ-S) Slovenian Forestry Institute, Institute of Geology, Geotechnics and Geophysics, Univ. Ljubljana, Centre for Soil and Environmental Sciences, Type of contract: direct contract with PhareProject leader: Andrej Bilc, GZ-SPeriod of satellite imagery: 1995-1996Number of CLC map sheets: 33Number of photointerpreters: 3

Main benefits of the project: • up to date land cover data• new expertise

Source: A. Kobler

Main difficulties met during project implementation:

• large proportion of 242 and 243 because of fragmented landscape

• almost a full-country aerial photograph coverage was needed

ALBANIA

Country area: 28748 Km2Project duration: 1998-1999Contracted organisation: IGN FIType of contract: ?Project leader: ?Period of satellite imagery: ?Number of CLC map sheets: 36Number of photointerpreters: ?

Difficulties / specialities met during the project implementation:

Source: M. Bossard

K 0 5 3K 0 5 2

K 0 5 1

K 0 6 6K 0 6 5

K 0 6 4K 0 6 3

K 0 7 8K 0 7 7

K 0 7 6K 0 7 5

K 0 9 0K 0 8 9

K 0 8 8K 0 8 7

K 1 0 2K 1 0 1

K 1 0 0K 0 9 9

K 1 1 5K 1 1 4

K 1 1 3K 1 1 2

K 1 1 1

K 1 2 7

K 1 2 6K 1 2 5

K 1 2 4K 1 2 3

K 1 3 8K 1 3 7

K 1 3 6K 1 3 5

J 0 0 5J 0 0 4

J 0 1 7

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

Country area: 51130 km2Project duration: 1998-2000Contracted organisation: FÖMI, HungaryType of contract: international tender Project leader: George Büttner, FÖMILocal partner: Institute of Geodesy, BIH (GZ BIH), subcontractLocal project leader: Esad Mahir, GZ BIHPeriod of satellite imagery: 1998Number of CLC map sheets: 65Number of photointerpreters: 5

Main difficulties met during project implementation:• organisation of field trips (political problems, danger of mines)• outdated aerial photographs and topographic maps • separation of 323 and 324 near the Adriatic coast, and mapping abandoned agricultural land because of war

Source: E. Mahir

Main benefits of the project:• first project with satellite imagery• new practices in GIS and IP• case studies at scale 1:25.000 using SPOT-4& IRS-1C

F.Y.R. MACEDONIA

Country area: 25713 km2Project duration: 1998-2000Contracted organisation: FÖMI, HungaryType of contract: international tender Project leader: George Büttner, FÖMILocal partner: Ministry of Urban Planning, Construction and Environment (subcontract)Local project leader: Zoran VelickovPeriod of satellite imagery: 1995-1996Number of CLC map sheets: 35Number of photointerpreters: 4

Main difficulties met during project implementation:• accessibility of NW parts of the country because of Kosovo crisis• outdated topographic maps, difficult access to aerial photographs• separation of 323 and 324

Source: Z. Velickov

Main benefits of the project:• first project with Landsat imagery• foreseen applications: urban and rural planning, mapping (e.g. tourist maps)

Conclusions

• Meaningful contribution of Phare countries to the Land Cover map of Europe

• Part of the „harmonisation” process (accession to EU)

• Enthusiastic and highly skilled national teams have been set up

• Strengthened the use of contemporary technology (GIS, IP)

• Significant know-how has been developed, which should be further utilised

• Effective technical (LCTU: Y.Heymann, C.Steenmans, M.Bossard, J.Feranec) and administrative (Phare/EEA: E.Evrard) management, friendly relations among participants

• Many useful applications on national levels

• The database is outdated (>5 years) for most countries, needs updating

• There are still some “white” areas in C&E Europe for extending CLC…..

Recommendations for I&CLC2000

better localisation accuracy

more geometric details

better thematic accuracy

more homogeneity, better database quality

deriving real changes

• orthocorrection, GCPs not from 100K maps

• computer aided photointerpretation

• revision of MMU (25 / 20 hectares) ?

• homogeneous application of MMU

• images acquired on proper date

• use of additional satellite images

• improved definition of some classes

• strong internal and external QC/QA

• correcting errors of baseline LC data

REQUIREMENTS TOOLS

Acknowledgement

• A. Vajdea, Romania

• J. Feranec, Slovakia

• A. Meiner, Estonia

• H. Baranovs, Latvia

• R. Kaulakys, Lithuania

• A. Kobler, Slovenia

• M. Bossard, France (Albania)

• Z. Velickov, F.Y.R. Macedonia

• E. Mahir, Bosnia-Herzegovina

• G. Maucha, Hungary (technical realisation)