Land Cover Classification System
Class A Liaison Seminar of ISO TC 211
LCCS : An Approach to the Global Harmonisation
of Land Cover
John S. Latham and Antonio Di Gregorio
Environment and Natural Resources Service
Research, Extension and Training Division
Sustainable Development Department
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
FAO Background
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was founded
in 1945 with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition and
standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity, and
better the condition of rural populations.
FAO is one of the largest specialized agencies of the UN
system and the lead agency for agriculture, forestry, fisheries,
and rural development. FAO has 184 member countries plus
one member organization, the European Community. It
works extensively in the development of standards pertaining
to food and agriculture and also has a substantive number of
activities in the field of spatial information management.
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
Application for Class A Liaison Status accepted Thun plenary
Submit a new Work item proposal - NWIP - a draft has been
circulated pertaining to LCCS.
After completion of LCCS - version 2, in January/February
2004, (5 languages) a formal NWIP will be issued in ISO format
Work with Advisory Group on Outreach to develop and
enhance the effectiveness of FAO/UN and ISO joint outreach
through education and training especially through our
Distance Learning Tools - “Resource Kit”. We will be inviting the advisory
Group on outreach to work in a partnership with us on content
standardisation.
Establish a Co-operative Agreement between FAO/UN and
ISO TC 211
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
Definition
Land cover is the observed (bio)physical cover
on the earth’s surface.
It includes vegetation and man-made features as well as bare
rock, bare soil and inland water surfaces.
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
LCCS is a comprehensive methodology for description,
characterization, classification and comparison of most of
land cover features identified anywhere in the world, at
any scale or level of detail.
LCCS was created in response to a need for:
•
a harmonized and standardized collection of land cover data;
•
availability of land cover data for a wide range of applications
and users; and
•
comparison and correlation of land cover classes.
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
CLASSIFICATION VERSUS LEGENDS
Reference Classification System
>50m
30m
100% 1 2 3 4 ...
>5m
Inherent characteristic
of the area determining
the legend classes at a
given scale and data type
33
47
50%
78
DEFINED
GEOGRAPHIC
AREA
83
10%
97 9899100
Derived
legend
Interpretation activity
Mapping
units
End
users
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
THE OBJECTIVE
To produce a world-wide reference system for land
cover able to combine an high level of flexibility (ability
to describe land cover features all over the world at any
scale or level of detail) with an absolute level of
standardization of the class definition between
different users
THE IDEA
A system that allows a dynamic creation of classes
without to oblige the user to relate to a pre-defined list
of names
THE BASIC CONCEPT
In LCCS the creation of a class is done by a dynamic
combination of land cover diagnostic attributes called
classifiers
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
How it works
In any language a semantic concept is expressed using words
regulated by a syntax
In LCCS it is the same, the classifiers are the words the
classification rules are the syntax and the land cover
features the concepts to be described.
Like in a language the combination of classifiers trough
the use of the classification rules gives the possibility to
describe a wide variety of land cover features.
The combination of the same classifiers between the
whole different users of the classification system
will result in the same land cover class.
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
How to create Land Cover classes in LCCS :
Basic concept of a land cover class
(the idea)
trees
closed
?
?
sparse
open
broadleaved
Use of LCCS method
(the language)
shrubs
?
herbaceous
evergreen
Trees A3
Closed A10
Height 14-7m B6
Needeleaved D2
Evergreen E1
=A3+A10+B6+D2+E1
Elaboration of the concept
in the codified LCCS
language
(the concept expression)
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
Major advantages of the method
•LCCS gives to the user the possibility to define
a large number of land cover features
(app.200000)
•despite the large number all the classes have
a very distinctive and unambiguous meaning
•LCCS create an absolute level of
standardization between the different users
Land Cover Classification System
LCCS : an approach to the global harmonisation of Land Cover
ISO TC 211 Class A Liaison Seminar
Major possible applications:
•all the land cover/natural resources mapping
activities at any scale in any part of the world
•bridging system between land cover maps
that use local or not standardized legends
•possible link between small scale global
mapping activities and detailed large scale
national mapping programs
•bridging system to link natural resources
statistical census with mapping programs
at national or regional level
Land Cover Classification System
Thank-you for this opportunity to present
LCCS at this Class A liaison Seminar
We seek your support for a future of a mutually
beneficial co-operation
between ISO TC-211 and FAO of the UN
Thank-you
Land Cover Classification System
Components
Metadata Server for Geo-referenced data &
Information
Spatial Data & Information
Portal
Services & Online Use
Management