1.2. Net change in land cover [ha] 15

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1 Land cover 2006 Overview of land cover & change The Irish landscape (dominated by pastures and peatlands) shows to be less dynamic during this period as average yearly land cover change rate decreased twice (to 0,38% per year) compared to the previous period. This decrease has been caused mostly by rapid slowdown of internal conversions between pasture and arable land, which were the main change drivers during the previous period. The most significant flow of land cover development in Ireland is the artificial sprawl, although slightly decreased compared to the previous period. With artificial land take rate of 2.4% per year, Ireland experienced for another decade one of the highest artificial increase rates among the European countries. Concerning the total change area, also forest creation and management together with withdrawal of farming have significant share of the total land cover exchange in Ireland. Beside artificial surfaces, only forested land has positive balance of net change, while all other land cover types have negative net change balance with more or less significant consumption of the initial area. Spatially, changes of forested land and withdrawal of farming are distributed over almost whole country. Artificial land take is concentrated mostly into surroundings of capital city Dublin. However, there also occurs significant amount of mainly residential sprawl scattered uniformly over Irish landscape. Some linear patterns in western and central part of Ireland indicate highway construction. Note: The results presented here are based on a change analysis of 44 land cover types mapped consistently on a 1: scale across Europe over almost two decades see Corine land cover (CLC) programme for details. Number of years between CLC2000-CLC2006 data for France: Land cover 2006 [% of total] 1.2. Net change in land cover [ha] Net change in land cover [% of init ial year 2000] Open sp. 16% 8% % 59% Artificial areas A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies Summary balance table Artificial areas Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies TOTAL [hundreds ha] Land cover Consumption of initial LC Formation of new LC Net Formation of LC Net formation as % of initial year Total turnover of LC Total turnover as % of initial year Land cover

2 Land cover trends comparison vs Annual land cover change [ha/year, % of total area] % 0.38% 2.5. A nnual turnover of LC t ypes [ha/year] Net annual change of LC types [ha/year] A rtificial areas A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land A rtificial areas A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation O pen spaces / bare s oils Wetlands Water bodies Semi-natural vegetation O pen spaces / bare s oils Wetlands Water bodies Summary trend figures Annual land cover change [ha/year] Annual land cover change as % of initial year 0.79% 0.38% Land uptake by artificial development as mean annual change [ha/year] Agricultural land uptake by urban and infrastructures development as mean annual change [ha/year] Net uptake of forests and semi-natural land by as mean annual change [ha/year] Net conversion from pasture to arable land and permanent crops as mean annual change [ha/year] Forest & other woodland net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] Dry semi-natural land cover net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] Wetlands & water bodies net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] Intensity of main change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year] lcf1 Urban land management lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf4 Agriculture internal conversions lcf5 Conversion from forested & natural land to lcf6 Withdrawal of farming lcf7 Forests creation and management lcf8 Water bodies creation and management lcf9 Changes due to natural and multiple causes 2

3 Artificial areas 3.8. A rt if icial land take [ha/year, % of initial year] % 2.40% Discontinuous urban fabric sprawl remains very high The artificial sprawl in Ireland continued with similarly high intensity as in previous with slightly increased area. Even the percentual rate slightly decreased, land take in Ireland is one of the highest among European countries. Also, the structure of artificial land take is similar to the previous period. The main driver of land take remains diffuse residential sprawl with 50% share of the total artificial land uptake. The other significant contributors of artificial land take are construction (17%), sprawl of sport and leisure facilities (9%), mineral extraction sites (9%), transportation networks (8%) and industrial/commercial units (6%). Dominantly agricultural land (96%) with predominant share of pastures and mosaics (7) has been up-taken. Beside the sprawl of artificial areas over non-artificial land, recycling and infilling of already developed urban land (represented mainly by conversion of construction sites into discontinuous urban fabric and transportation networks) occurs with increased intensity compared to the previous period A rtif icial surf aces 2006 [% of total area] A rt if icial land t ake [ha/year] 5% 6% % Mean annual artificial change by class [ha/year] Continuous urban fabric Discontinuous urban fabric Industrial or commercial units Road and rail networks and associated land Port areas Airports Mineral extraction sites Dump sites Construction sites Green urban areas Sport and leisure facilities 3

4 Agriculture Rapid slowdown of internal conversions Agricultural land in Ireland is characteristic by predominant share of pastures (more than ¾ of all agricultural areas). The rest of agricultural areas consist of arable land and agricultural land with significant amount of natural vegetation. In contrast to the period, when arable land has significantly positive balance of net change, in this period, balance of both pasture and arable land is negative, with prevailing consumption of all agricultural classes. Intensive internal agricultural changes (characterized by conversion from pasture to arable land), which were the main drivers of land cover change in Ireland during the previous period, have been rapidly slowed down and these conversions almost disappeared in the Irish agricultural landscape. On the contrary, external consumption of agricultural land driven by withdrawal of farming with creation of transitional woodland, together with sprawls of residential areas, economic sites and infrastructures, accelerated compared to the previous period. Areas with withdrawal of farming with transitional woodland creation are densely scattered over almost the whole territory of Ireland, with special focus on the central part of the island A gricult ural areas 2006 [% of total area] % Development of agricultural areas detailed balance [ha] C onsumption of initial land cover Formation of new land cover % Non-irrigated arable land Permanently irrigated land Rice fields Vineyards Fruit trees and berry plantations Olive groves Pastures Annual/ permanent crops Complex cult. patterns Agriculture with nat. veg. Agro-forestry areas 211 Non-irrigated arable land 212 Permanently irrigated land 213 Rice fields 221 Vineyards 222 Fruit trees and berry plantations Mean annual agricultural change by class [ha/year] 223 Olive groves 231 Pastures Annual crops associated with permanent crops 242 Complex cultivation patterns 243 Agriculture land with significant areas of natural vegetation 244 Agro-forestry areas Nonirrigated arable land Permanently irrigated land Rice fields Vineyards Fruit trees and berry plantations Olive groves Pastures Annual/ permanent crops Complex cult. patterns Agriculture with nat. veg. Agroforestry areas 4

5 Forest & nature Forest & nat ure areas 2006 [% of total area] 7% 3 7% 5 Forest Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies Transitional woodland/shrub creation over natural and agro-natural areas More than half of Irish natural land is composed of wetlands (mainly peatbogs). The rest is covered by transitional woodland/shrub, coniferous forests, natural grasslands and moors and heathlands. Beside internal conversions between forest and transitional woodland, development of natural land cover in Ireland has been driven by transitional woodland/shrub creation over non-forested natural and agro-natural areas. Compared to the previous period, the intensity of transitional woodland/shrub creation over natural land represented mostly by peatbogs (and to a lesser extent also by natural grasslands and moors and heathlands) significantly decreased. In contrast, withdrawal of farming with transitional woodland creation over pastures and agro-natural areas accelerated more than twice, compared to the period Development of forest & nature areas detailed balance [ha] C onsumption of initial land cover Formation of new land cover % -3.68% -0.97% % % % 4.65% 25.77% 0.04% Broad-leaved forest Coniferous forest Mixed forest Natural grassland Moors and heathland Sclerophyllous vegetation Transitional woodland Beaches, dunes, sand Bare rock Sparsely vegetated Burnt areas Glaciers/perp. snow Inland marshes Peatbogs Salt marshes Salines Intertidal flats Water courses Water bodies Coastal lagoons Estuaries Sea and ocean Mean annual forest & nature change by class [ha/year] Broad-leaved forest Coniferous forest Mixed forest Natural grassland Moors and heathland Sclerophyllous vegetation Transitional woodland Beaches, dunes, sand Bare rock Sparsely vegetated Burnt areas Glaciers and perpetual Inland marshes Peatbogs Salt marshes Salines Intertidal flats Water courses Water bodies Coastal lagoons Estuaries Sea and ocean 5

6 Annex: Land cover flows and trends Land cover flows Consumption of land cover [% of total change area] Water 0,00 4% 19% Formation of land cover [% of total change area] Open sp. 0,00 Arable 0,4% 15% Pastr. 5 84% Artificial areas A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies Drivers of change (LC FLOWS) [% of total change area] lcf lcf1 lcf2 6% lcf3 6% lcf4 lcf1 Urban land management lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf6 1 lcf5 0. lcf4 Agriculture internal conversions lcf5 C onversion from forested & natural land to lc f6 Withdrawal of farming lcf7 7 lcf7 Forests creation and management lcf8 Water bodies creation and management lcf9 C hanges due to natural and multiple causes 6

7 Artificial areas Consumption by artificial land take [% of total] Formation by artificial land take [% of total] Wetlands Forested land Semi-nat. 0, Arable land & permanent crops 25% Green urban C onstruct. 17% Sport/ leisure 9% Dump sites 0. Mineral extraction 9% Disc. urban fabric 50% Pastures & mosaics 7 Airports 0. Road/rail Port areas network 0.04% 8% Industrial/ commer. 6% Net f ormation of artif icial area [ha/year, % of initial year] Artificial development by change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year] % 14.07% lcf11urban development/ infilling (cons.) lcf11urban development/ infilling (form.) lcf12 Recycling of developed urban land (cons.) lcf12 Recycling of developed urban land (form.) lcf13 Development of green urban areas (cons.) lcf13 Development of green urban areas (form.) lcf21 Urban dense residential sprawl lcf22 Urban diffuse residential sprawl lcf31 Sprawl of industrial & commercial sites lcf32 Sprawl of transport networks lcf33 Sprawl of harbours lcf34 Sprawl of airports lcf35 Sprawl of mines and quarrying areas lcf36 Sprawl of dumpsites lcf37 Construction lcf38 Sprawl of sport and leisure facilities (cons.) lcf38 Sprawl of sport and leisure facilities (form.) lcf54 Conversion from developed areas to lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation lcf81 Water bodies creation lcf911 Semi-natural creation lcf913 Extension of water courses lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires lcf93 Coastal erosion lcf99 Other changes and unknown (cons.) lcf99 Other changes and unknown (form.)

8 Agriculture LC consumed by agricult ure [% of total] Formation of agricultural land f rom non- [% of total] Transition. woodland/ P eatbogs shrub 4% 6% C oniferous Mineral extraction 2 Complex cultivation patterns 4% Agriculture with natural veg. Nonirrigated arable 2 Sport/ leisure 17% C onstruct. 5 Pastures 70% Consumption of agricultural land by non- [% of total] Formation of non-agricultural land from [% of total] Agriculture with natural veg. 19% Complex cultivation patterns Nonirrigated arable 15% Pastures 64% T ransition. woodland/ shrub 50% C oniferous 0. Sport/ leisure 5% Disc. urban fabric Industrial/ 25% commer. Road/rail network 4% Port areas 0.0 Airports 0. Mineral extraction 4% Green Dump C onstruct. urban sites 8% 0.5% Main annual conversions between and forests & semi-natural land [ha/year] Mean annual conversion bet ween arable land and pasture [ha/year] Conversion from forest to Conversion from dry semi-natural & natural land to Extension of pasture, set aside and fallow land Conversion from wetlands to Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation Conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation 8

9 9.31. Mean annual internal conversions [ha/year] Mean annual conversions between and other LC types [ha/year] lcf411 Uniform extension of set aside fallow land and pasture lcf13 Development of green urban areas lcf412 Diffuse extension of set aside fallow land and pasture lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf421 Conversion from arable land to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf422 Other internal conversions of arable land lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf511 Intensive conversion from forest to lcf431 Conversion from olives groves to vineyards and orchards lcf432 Conversion from vineyards and orchards to olive groves lcf433 Other conversions between vineyards and orchards lcf441 Conversion from permanent crops to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf442 Conversion from vineyards and orchards to non-irrigated arable land lcf443 Conversion from olive groves to non-irrigated arable land lcf444 Diffuse conversion from permanent crops to arable land lcf451 Conversion from arable land to vineyards and orchards lcf452 Conversion from arable land to olive groves lcf453 Diffuse conversion from arable land to permanent crops lcf461 Conversion from pasture to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf462 Intensive conversion from pasture to non-irrigated arable land and permanent crops lcf463 Diffuse conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops lcf512 Diffuse conversion from forest to lcf521 Intensive conversion from seminatural land to lcf522 Diffuse conversion from seminatural land to lcf523 Conversions from nature mosaics to continuous (cont. agri. cons.) lcf523 Conversions from nature mosaics to continuous (cont. agri. form.) lcf53 Conversion from wetlands to lcf54 Conversion from developed areas to lcf61 Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation lcf81 Water bodies creation lcf913 Extension of water courses lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires lcf93 Coastal erosion lcf99 Other changes and unknown (agri. cons.) lcf47 Extension of agroforestry lcf99 Other changes and unknown (agri. form.)

10 Forest & nature Format ion of f orest & nat ure land f rom non-f orest /nat ure [% of total] C oniferous 0. Complex cultivation patterns Pastures 6 Transition. woodland/ shrub 100% Formation of non-forest /nature land from forest & nature [% of total] Complex cultivation Pastures patterns Sport/ leisure C onstruct. 34% Agriculture with Disc. natural urban veg. fabric 9% Industrial/ commer. Road/rail network 15% Airports Mineral extraction LC consumed by forest & nature [% of total] Mineral extraction Nonirrigated Agriculture with arable natural veg Consumption of forest & nature land by non-forest /nature [% of total] Broadleaved Intertidal flats 0. P eatbogs 19% Inland marshes 0.4% C oniferous 15% Mixed 9% Natural grassland Moors and Transition. heathland woodland/ shrub 50% Forested land 2006 [% of total area] Broadleaved 4% C onif Main trends in woodland & f orest s consumption/formation [ha/year] Consumption of forest land by urban sprawl Conversion from forest to Recent fellings and transitions Transit. woodland shrub 6 Mixed 4% Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation Forest creation, afforestation Conversion from transitional woodland to forests Forest creation over wetlands 10

11 Dry semi-nat ural areas 2006 [% of total area] Main trends in dry semi-nat ural land consumption/formation [ha/year] Sparsely Bare roc k 8% Beaches, dunes and sand plains 6% veg. areas 1 Moors and heath. 29% Natural grass. 46% Consumption of dry semi-natural land cover by urban sprawl Conversion of semi-natural land cover to Forest creation, afforestation over dry semi-natural land Withdrawal of farming without woodland creation Decrease of permanent snow and glaciers Wetlands & water 2006 [% of total area] Main trends in wetlands & water consumption/formation [ha/year] Water courses Intertidal flats Water bodies 9% Coastal lagoons 0. Estuar. Inland marshes Consumption of wetlands by urban sprawl Conversion of wetlands to Forest creation and afforestation over wetlands Salt marshes 0.4% P eatbogs 8 Withdrawal of farming without woodland creation Net water bodies creation Net wetlands creation Mean annual conversions of f orest & other woodland [ha/year] lcf13 Development of green urban areas lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf511 Intensive conversion from forest to lcf512 Diffuse conversion from forest to lcf61 Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation lcf71 Conversion from transitional woodland to forest (cons.) lcf71 Conversion from transitional woodland to forest (form.) lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation lcf73 Forests internal conversions (cons.) lcf73 Forests internal conversions (form.) lcf74 Recent felling and transition (cons.) lcf74 Recent felling and transition (form.) lcf8 Water bodies creation and management lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (cons.) lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (form.)

12 Mean annual conversions of dry semi-natural LC [ha/year] lcf13 Development of green urban areas lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf521 Intensive conversion from semi-natural land to lcf522 Diffuse conversion from semi-natural land to lcf523 Conversions from -nature mosaics to continuous lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation lcf74 Recent felling and transition lcf8 Water bodies creation and management lcf82 Water bodies management lcf911 Semi-natural creation (form.) lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (cons.) lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (form.) lcf913 Extension of water courses (cons.) lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires (cons.) lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires (form.) lcf93 Coastal erosion (cons.) lcf94 Decrease in permanent snow and glaciers cover (cons.) lcf94 Decrease in permanent snow and glaciers cover (form.) lcf99 Other changes and unknown (cons.) lcf99 Other changes and unknown (form.) Mean annual conversions of wetlands and water LC [ha/year] lcf13 Development of green urban areas lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf53 Conversion from wetlands to lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation lcf72 Forest creation, afforestation lcf8 Water bodies creation and management (cons.) lcf81 Water bodies creation lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (other than LCF91) lcf9 Changes of land cover due to natural and multiple causes (other than LCF912) lcf911 Semi-natural creation (form.) lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (cons.) lcf912 Semi-natural rotation (form.) lcf913 Extension of water courses (form.)

13 CLC Changes CLC Changes 13

14 Drivers of change Drivers of change 14

15 Artificial sprawl Artificial sprawl 15

16 Agriculture Agriculture 16

17 Forest and nature Forest and nature 17