122
develops as a ‘living’ map and allows learning from all of the projects to feed back
into the map.
Keywords Habitat mapping • Ecological rule base • Remote sensing of vegetation
• Norfolk • Multi-scale classification • Living map • Making Earth Observation
Work • Object based image analysis (OBIA)
A ‘Multi-scale’ Approach with Ecological Input
Why Adopt a Multi-scale Approach to Mapping?
Information on the extent, location and condition of semi-natural habitats is essential to meet UK reporting obligations and commitments. These include legislative
obligations in the EU Habitats Directive as well as domestic commitments to monitor the status and condition of priority habitats or provide audits of ecosystem function and service provision, as set out in the Convention for Biodiversity (2010);
Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011–2020
1
). Gaps remain in our knowledge about
the location and condition of semi-natural habitats of high nature conservation value
(Medcalf et al. 2011) and, in particular, where they are located outside of the statutory site series.
A suite of Defra
2
-JNCC
3
funded projects, Making Earth Observation Work for
UK Biodiversity (Medcalf et al. 2011, 2013, 2015; Gerard et al. 2015; Rowland and
Morton 2013) and follow-on mapping work
4
(Bell et al. 2015) set out to provide a
platform and improve the capacity and capability, particularly at the local level, to
use Earth Observation (EO) and geoinformation techniques to inform the conservation and management of natural resources.
The Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service (NBIS) collates, manages and
supplies biodiversity data to a wide range of users. Maps were produced for the
NBIS using a range of remotely sensed imagery, with the outputs mapped to ‘real
world’ Ordinance Survey (OS) features that are both recognizable and practical.
5
A
multi-scale approach addressed the needs for biodiversity data at the regional, subregional and site scales.
The regional scale maps provided information about the location and extent of
semi-natural habitats in Norfolk and were designed to:
1 See: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69446/pb13
583-biodiversity-strategy-2020-111111.pdf
2 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
3 Joint Nature Conservation Committee
4 A paper by Bell et al. (2015) provides the results of a follow-on project to map the whole of
Norfolk.
5 https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-and-government/products/mastermap-products.html
K. Medcalf et al.
develops as a ‘living’ map and allows learning from all of the projects to feed back
into the map.
Keywords Habitat mapping • Ecological rule base • Remote sensing of vegetation
• Norfolk • Multi-scale classification • Living map • Making Earth Observation
Work • Object based image analysis (OBIA)
A ‘Multi-scale’ Approach with Ecological Input
Why Adopt a Multi-scale Approach to Mapping?
Information on the extent, location and condition of semi-natural habitats is essential to meet UK reporting obligations and commitments. These include legislative
obligations in the EU Habitats Directive as well as domestic commitments to monitor the status and condition of priority habitats or provide audits of ecosystem function and service provision, as set out in the Convention for Biodiversity (2010);
Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011–2020
1
). Gaps remain in our knowledge about
the location and condition of semi-natural habitats of high nature conservation value
(Medcalf et al. 2011) and, in particular, where they are located outside of the statutory site series.
A suite of Defra
2
-JNCC
3
funded projects, Making Earth Observation Work for
UK Biodiversity (Medcalf et al. 2011, 2013, 2015; Gerard et al. 2015; Rowland and
Morton 2013) and follow-on mapping work
4
(Bell et al. 2015) set out to provide a
platform and improve the capacity and capability, particularly at the local level, to
use Earth Observation (EO) and geoinformation techniques to inform the conservation and management of natural resources.
The Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service (NBIS) collates, manages and
supplies biodiversity data to a wide range of users. Maps were produced for the
NBIS using a range of remotely sensed imagery, with the outputs mapped to ‘real
world’ Ordinance Survey (OS) features that are both recognizable and practical.
5
A
multi-scale approach addressed the needs for biodiversity data at the regional, subregional and site scales.
The regional scale maps provided information about the location and extent of
semi-natural habitats in Norfolk and were designed to:
1 See: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69446/pb13
583-biodiversity-strategy-2020-111111.pdf
2 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
3 Joint Nature Conservation Committee
4 A paper by Bell et al. (2015) provides the results of a follow-on project to map the whole of
Norfolk.
5 https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-and-government/products/mastermap-products.html
K. Medcalf et al.