Land Cover Map 2000 (25m raster, N. Ireland)

In a major development of earlier methods, LCM2000 used image segmentation to identify land parcels in the pixel-based images. An automated procedure grouped the image pixels into spectrally 'uniform' segments. These were built around 'seedpoints' selected to avoid parcel boundaries. The segmentation recorded a field-by-field pattern, also separating land use zones within urban and suburban areas, and subdividing mosaics of semi-natural vegetation. Generalisation gave minimum mappable units of a half hectare. A 'vector' version was then created in the geographical information system (GIS), where the boundaries between the pixel-based segments were represented by digital linework. The resultant land parcels were treated as GIS objects to which attribute data could then be attached covering such topics as land cover class, parcel area, length of boundary, processing history, knowledge-based correction and identification of the original satellite scene. The raster products have been derived from the vector dataset. LCM2000 was produced at CEH Monks Wood. For further information on the methodology developed and used to create Land Cover Map 2000, see on-line supporting documentation.

This dataset is included in the following collections

Land Cover Map 2000