Land Use Classification Greg X. Gong Presentation at London Group Meeting Canberra Australia 27-30...

Land Use ClassificationLand Use Classification

Greg X. GongGreg X. Gong

Presentation at Presentation at London Group London Group Meeting Meeting

Canberra Australia 27-30 April Canberra Australia 27-30 April 20092009

[email protected]@fao.org

OutlineOutline• Land cover vs. land useLand cover vs. land use • Major global LU datasetsMajor global LU datasets• Structure and features of the Structure and features of the

proposed LU classificationproposed LU classification• Some discussionsSome discussions

Land Cover vs. Land UseLand Cover vs. Land Use• LC is the observed (bio)-physical cover of LC is the observed (bio)-physical cover of

the earth’s surface. Such an observation the earth’s surface. Such an observation can be made by the human eye, aerial can be made by the human eye, aerial photographs, satellite sensors, or simply photographs, satellite sensors, or simply existing maps.existing maps.

• LU reflects the degree of human LU reflects the degree of human activities directly related to land and activities directly related to land and making use of its resources or having an making use of its resources or having an impact (i.e. to produce products and impact (i.e. to produce products and benefits). LU requires field and ground benefits). LU requires field and ground information such as surveys and information such as surveys and censuses.censuses.

Major Global LU DatasetsMajor Global LU Datasets• Agricultural LU database in Agricultural LU database in FAOSTATFAOSTAT

since 1961. since 1961. – ““Land” under “Resources” Land” under “Resources” – ““Area Harvested” under “Production” Area Harvested” under “Production”

• Decennial Decennial World Programme for the World Programme for the Census of AgricultureCensus of Agriculture (WCA) since 1945. (WCA) since 1945.

• Global Forest Resources Assessment Global Forest Resources Assessment ProgrammeProgramme (FRA) since 1946. (FRA) since 1946.

• ““Global spatial database of sub-national Global spatial database of sub-national agricultural land-use statistics” agricultural land-use statistics” AGRO-AGRO-MAPSMAPS

Major Global LU Datasets Major Global LU Datasets (Cont’d)(Cont’d)

• FAO has collected number of units and areas FAO has collected number of units and areas of aquaculture facilities byof aquaculture facilities by– Type of grow-out structures: ponds and tanks, Type of grow-out structures: ponds and tanks,

enclosures and pens, cages, raceways and silos, etcenclosures and pens, cages, raceways and silos, etc– Water types: freshwater, brackish water, and Water types: freshwater, brackish water, and

marine water marine water andand – Type of products: fishes, crustaceans, and molluscsType of products: fishes, crustaceans, and molluscs

• Classification used is based on the agreement Classification used is based on the agreement at CWP, the coordinating mechanism at CWP, the coordinating mechanism established in 1959 to agree on standard established in 1959 to agree on standard concepts, definitions, classifications and concepts, definitions, classifications and methodologies for fishery statistics.methodologies for fishery statistics.

Structure and features of the Structure and features of the proposed LU classificationproposed LU classification

• Reflects the close relationship and Reflects the close relationship and integrative nature of the work on LU integrative nature of the work on LU databases/datasets by various Departments databases/datasets by various Departments and Divisions at FAO as discussed in the and Divisions at FAO as discussed in the previous section.previous section.

• Provides a great flexibility in terms of Provides a great flexibility in terms of application through its hierarchical application through its hierarchical structure. structure.

• Establishes a linkage between itself with Establishes a linkage between itself with other major international classifications such other major international classifications such as ISIC and CPC through the ICC. as ISIC and CPC through the ICC.

• Integrates aquaculture and fishery land use Integrates aquaculture and fishery land use including water bodies by applying consistent including water bodies by applying consistent concept as agricultural and forest land use.concept as agricultural and forest land use.

Some DiscussionsSome Discussions• On one hand, it should adhere to the commonly On one hand, it should adhere to the commonly

agreed principles resulting from previous agreed principles resulting from previous theoretical and empirical researches in this theoretical and empirical researches in this field; and on the other hand, it has to be rooted field; and on the other hand, it has to be rooted in the existing LU global statistical databases. in the existing LU global statistical databases.

• The function of such a LU classification just The function of such a LU classification just like many currently used at the global level is like many currently used at the global level is mainly to serve as a correlation system mainly to serve as a correlation system through which land use classes from existing through which land use classes from existing national systems could be correlated and national systems could be correlated and global LU databases can be global LU databases can be continuously maintained and developed. continuously maintained and developed.

Some Discussions Some Discussions (Cont’d)(Cont’d)

• Irrigation is not included in the proposed LU Irrigation is not included in the proposed LU classification due to two difficulties: One is classification due to two difficulties: One is conceptual and the other is practical one.conceptual and the other is practical one.- Irrigation is one of many “land use attributes” used to Irrigation is one of many “land use attributes” used to

describe one feature or property of land use on a plot. Other describe one feature or property of land use on a plot. Other attributes relevant to agriculture, for example, are land attributes relevant to agriculture, for example, are land tenure,tenure, cropping systems, use of fertilizers, mechanization, cropping systems, use of fertilizers, mechanization, soil conservation practices, commercial or subsistence soil conservation practices, commercial or subsistence orientation (orientation (Young 1994)Young 1994). Any of them can be added into the . Any of them can be added into the LU classification just as irrigation. Apparently, however, it is LU classification just as irrigation. Apparently, however, it is not feasible for a classification to accommodate all these not feasible for a classification to accommodate all these attributes attributes

- at the same time Other difficulties concern the data at the same time Other difficulties concern the data available of the related information. available of the related information. At present, there is no At present, there is no summary data for the world total area of agricultural land summary data for the world total area of agricultural land use with the breakdown of irrigation in FAOSTAT. use with the breakdown of irrigation in FAOSTAT.

Some Discussions Some Discussions (Cont’d)(Cont’d)

• Indicative Crop Classification (ICC)Indicative Crop Classification (ICC)

Proposed LU Proposed LU ClassificationClassification

1 L1L1 L2L2 L3L3 L4L4 L5L5 L6L6 Proposed LU ClassificationProposed LU Classification

2 Country areaCountry area

3 100000100000 Land areaLand area

4 110000110000 Agricultural areaAgricultural area

5 111000111000 Arable land and Permanent cropsArable land and Permanent crops

6 111100111100 Arable landArable land

7 111110111110 Land under temporary cropsLand under temporary crops

8 111111111111 CerealsCereals

9 111112111112 Vegetables and melonsVegetables and melons

10 111113111113 Temporary oilseed cropsTemporary oilseed crops

11 111114111114 Root/tuber crops with high starch or inulin Root/tuber crops with high starch or inulin

contentcontent

LU Classification LU Classification (Cont’d)(Cont’d)


1212 111115111115 Temporary spice cropsTemporary spice crops

1313 111116111116 Leguminous cropsLeguminous crops

1414 111117111117 Sugar cropsSugar crops

1515 111119111119 Other temporary cropsOther temporary crops

1616 111120111120 Land under temporary meadows and Land under temporary meadows and pasturespastures

1717 111121111121 Temporary grasses and other fodder cropsTemporary grasses and other fodder crops

1818 111130111130 Land temporarily fallowLand temporarily fallow



1919 111200111200 111210111210 Land under permanent cropsLand under permanent crops

2020 111211111211 Fruit and nutsFruit and nuts

2121 111212111212 Permanent oilseed cropsPermanent oilseed crops

2222 111213111213 Beverage and permanent spice cropsBeverage and permanent spice crops

2323 111219111219 Other permanent cropsOther permanent crops

2424 112000112000 112100112100 112110112110 Permanent meadows and pasturesPermanent meadows and pastures

2525 112111112111 Permanent grasses and other fodder Permanent grasses and other fodder

cropscrops



2626 120000120000 Forest and other wooded landForest and other wooded land

2727 121000121000 ForestForest

2828 121100121100 Naturally regenerated forestNaturally regenerated forest

2929 121110121110 Primary forestPrimary forest

3030 121120121120 Other naturally regenerated forestOther naturally regenerated forest

3131 121200121200 Planted forestPlanted forest

3232 122000122000 Other wooded landOther wooded land



3333 130000130000 131000131000 Land with aquaculture facilitiesLand with aquaculture facilities

3434 131110131110 HatcheriesHatcheries

3535 131120131120 Managed grow-out sitesManaged grow-out sites

3636 131121131121 FishFish

3737 131122131122 CrustaceansCrustaceans

3838 131123131123 MolluscsMolluscs

3939 131124131124 OthersOthers

4040 140000140000 Other landOther land



4141 200000200000 Inland waterInland water

4242 211000211000 Areas with aquaculture or holding Areas with aquaculture or holding facilitiesfacilities

4343 211121211121 FishFish




4747 212000212000 Other inland water areasOther inland water areas

4848 212100212100 Enhanced areasEnhanced areas

4949 212200212200 Open access waters without Open access waters without

enhancementenhancement



5050 300000300000 Marine waterMarine water

5151 311000311000 Areas with aquaculture or holding Areas with aquaculture or holding

facilitiesfacilities

5252 311121311121 FishFish




5656 312000312000 Other marine waterOther marine water

312100312100 Enhanced areasEnhanced areas

5757 312200312200 Open access waters without Open access waters without

enhancement enhancement

Example: Data from an Example: Data from an Academic DatabaseAcademic Database

Major Land Use (1992)Major Land Use (1992)

AsiaAsia AfricaAfrica N. and C. N. and C. AmericaAmerica

S. S. AmericaAmerica EuropeEurope OceaniaOceania

CroplandCropland 22%22% 6%6% 15%15% 8%8% 20%20% 4%4%

ForestForest 21%21% 17%17% 51%51% 53%53% 61%61% 8%8%

Savannah/GrasslandSavannah/Grassland 17%17% 36%36% 10%10% 26%26% 7%7% 36%36%

Shrub landShrub land 16%16% 9%9% 10%10% 9%9% 1%1% 51%51%

Other landOther land 24%24% 33%33% 14%14% 5%5% 10%10% 0%0%

million hectaresmillion hectares 3,0743,074 2,9762,976 2,1492,149 1,7611,761 2,2462,246 842842

SourceSource: Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment http://www.sage.wisc.edu/: Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment http://www.sage.wisc.edu/

Summary and ConclusionSummary and Conclusion

• LU classification is important.LU classification is important.• The Proposed LU classification is a The Proposed LU classification is a

joint effort of three Departments at joint effort of three Departments at in charge of three areas of statistics: in charge of three areas of statistics: Agriculture, fisheries, and forestry.Agriculture, fisheries, and forestry.

• It is based on the existing major LU It is based on the existing major LU databases and experience of FAO.databases and experience of FAO.

• The Proposed LU classification is a The Proposed LU classification is a common classification for the above common classification for the above three fields at the global level.three fields at the global level.

Land Use Classification Greg X. Gong Presentation at London Group Meeting Canberra Australia 27-30...

Documents

Transcript of Land Use Classification Greg X. Gong Presentation at London Group Meeting Canberra Australia 27-30...