Country fact sheet. Land cover Germany. September Photo: Toni García, My City/EEA

Transcription

1 Country fact sheet Land cover 2012 Germany September 2017 Photo: Toni García, My City/EEA

2 Land cover 2012 Overview of land cover & change Characterized by the annual land cover change rate of 0,1, the overall speed of land cover development in Germany is about half lower than the European average. This is comparable with the previous period, however, more than half lower than in the period These numbers show stabilization of the land cover in the country in the long term. The most powerful drivers of change in the country are agriculture internal conversions, which shows a similar pattern to the period , however, the intensity of these flows was more than twice higher at that time. On the other hand, during the period, the internal agricultural flows experienced huge decline, which seems to be over recently, as their intensity is rapidly increasing again. Forest creation and management is the second most extensive land cover flow in the country, with comparable intensity as in both previous periods. As usual in Europe, this flow is driven mainly by internal conversions, this time with prevailing share of recent felling and transition. Thirdly, artificial development is present in the country, however, its intensity shows a continuously decreasing tendency from the period The artificial development is driven mostly by the sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures in the period this flow has similar intensity as in the previous period. This is not the case of the residential sprawl, which is much lower, even compared to the period. The strongly decreasing intensity of artificial development in Germany is illustrated by the decrease of annual artificial land take rate 0,74% in , 0,38% in and 0,2 in. This means, that the sprawl in Germany reached only about one half of European average in the last period. 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 more than decade between see Corine land cover (CLC) programme for details. Number of years between CLC2006-CLC2012 data for Germany: 6 Seminat Land cover 2012 [% of total] Open. 0, Wet. Water. 9% Net change in land cover [ha] 1.3. Net change in land cover [% of initial year 2006] % % A rtificial 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

3 Land cover trends comparison vs Annual land cover change [ha/year, % of total area] % 0.1 Artificial areas Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land 2.5. Annual turnover of LC types [ha/year] Net annual change of LC types [ha/year] Artificial areas Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces / bare soils Wetlands Water bodies Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces / bare soils Wetlands Water bodies Summary trend figures Annual land cover change [ha/year] Annual land cover change as % of initial year 0.10% 0.1 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 s and semi-natural land by agriculture 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 ed & natural land to agriculture lcf6 Withdrawal of farming lcf7 Forests creation and management lcf8 Water bodies creation and management lcf9 Changes due to natural and multiple causes 2

4 Artificial surfaces sprawl () 3.8. Artificial land take [ha/year, % of initial year] Rapid slowdown of residential sprawl In the comparing periods , and, artificial development in Germany shows a continuously decreasing tendency. This is valid in particular for diffuse residential sprawl, the major driver of artificial development in both previous periods, which is, however, getting slower. On the other hand, the sprawl of industrial and commercial sites shows significant increase, after major decline in the period, and became the most significant artificial flow in the period. Beside it, also sprawl of mines and quarrying areas occurs in the country, which, however, is compensated by the opposite conversion of former quarries into agricultural or natural land (all arable, pastures, shrubs and water bodies). The internal recycling of developed urban land has lower intensity as in the previous period and is represented mainly by conversion of construction sites into industrial or commercial units or discontinuous urban fabric. Geographically, the artificial development is densely scattered over the whole country, with major concentrations in North Rhine-Westphalia and in the surroundings of Leipzig and Munich. This spatial pattern is quite similar to the one from the period. The main difference is in the lower overall density of the scattered sprawl - this concerns in particular Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony Artificial surfaces 2012 [% of total area] Artificial land take [ha/year] Const. 0, % 80% 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

5 Agriculture () Agriculture internal conversions accelerate again Agricultural internal flows are the most extensive drivers of landscape change in Germany. After significant decline, their intensity is about three times as higher recently than in the period, which, however, is still only about one half of the intensity shown by these flows in the period Conversion from pasture to arable land is more frequent than the opposite extension of pasture. Geographically, these flows are scattered mostly over the northern part of the country (with the highest density in the northwest, in particular along the North Sea shore) and also in southern Bavaria. From external flows, consumption of agricultural land by sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures (mainly commercial/industrial or mineral extraction sites) is most frequent, followed by opposite conversion from mineral extraction sites to agriculture. The exchange with natural land is realized mainly through withdrawal of farming with woodland and water bodies creation, which consume both arable and pasture land. As a result of all these exchanges, pastures show a negative net change balance and arable land a slightly positive one, which is a different situation when compared to the previous period, which was characterized by prevailing consumption of both pasture and arable land Agricultural areas 2012 [% of total area] Development of agricultural areas detailed balance [ha] % % % -0.45% 0.08% % -0.09% % Non-irrigated arable land Permanently irrigated land Rice fields Consumption of initial land cover Formation of new land cover Vineyards Fruit trees and berry plantations Olive groves Pastures Annual/ permanent crops Complex cult. patterns Agriculture with nat. veg. Agro-ry areas 211 Non-irrigated arable land Mean annual agricultural change by class [ha/year] 212 Permanently irrigated land 213 Rice fields 221 Vineyards 222 Fruit trees and berry plantations Olive groves 231 Pastures 241 Annual crops associated with permanent crops 242 Complex cultivation patterns 243 Agriculture land with significant areas of natural vegetation 244 Agro-ry areas 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-ry areas 4

6 Forest & nature () Forest & nature areas 2012 [% of total area] Open. 0, 4% 4% 90% Forest Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies Internal conversions still strong The exchange of natural land in Germany is driven mostly by creation and management, which is the second most powerful land cover flow in the country. The intensity of this flow is comparable with previous period, which is only slightly lower than in the period As usual in Europe, this flow is driven mainly by internal conversions, this time with prevailing share of recent felling and transition. This is a similar situation as in the period , however, a bit different than in the period, during which opposite conversion from transitional woodland to was a bit more dominant. As a result, the transitional woodland area increased by about 15% in Germany between 2006 and Beside these conversions, natural land cover (with prevailing share of coniferous ) is consumed mainly by sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures, in particular mineral extraction sites. Although it lost about half of its intensity, there still occurs significant amount of water bodies creation, mostly situated in the southern part of former Eastern Germany Development of & nature areas detailed balance [ha] % % % 5.46% % 0.39% % % 23.60% % -0.80% -0.18% -0.48% % -0.04% % -0.86% -0.14% % Broad-leaved Coniferous Mixed Natural grassland Moors and heathland Sclerophyllous vegetation Transitional woodland shrub Beaches, dunes, sand Bare rock Sparsely vegetated areas Burnt areas Glaciers/perp. snow Inland marshes Peatbogs Salt marshes Salines Intertidal flats Water courses Water bodies Consumption of initial land cover Formation of new land cover Coastal lagoons Estuaries Sea and ocean Mean annual & nature change by class [ha/year] Broad-leaved Coniferous Mixed Natural grassland Moors and heathland Sclerophyllous vegetation Transitional woodland shrub Beaches, dunes, sand Bare rock Sparsely vegetated areas Burnt areas Glaciers and perpetual snow Inland marshes Peatbogs Salt marshes Salines Intertidal flats Water courses Water bodies Coastal lagoons Estuaries Sea and ocean 5

7 Annex: Land cover flows and trends Land cover flows Consumption of land cover [% of total change area] Seminat.veg. Open.s./ b.s. Wet. 0, Water. 7% Formation of land cover [% of total change area] Open. Seminat.veg. Wet. 0, % % 28% A rtificial 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] lcf8 lcf9 lcf1 lcf2 lcf1 Urban land management lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf7 30% lcf3 18% lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf4 A griculture internal conversions lcf5 C onversion from ed & natural land to agriculture lcf6 Withdrawal of farming lcf6 lcf5 lcf4 40% lcf7 Forests creation and management lcf8 Water bodies creation and management lcf9 C hanges due to natural and multiple causes 6

8 Artificial areas Consumption by artificial land take [% of total] Formation by artificial land take [% of total] Seminatural vegetation Forested land 1 Open spaces / bare soils Wetlands 0. Water bodies Construct. 14% Green urban 0. Sport/ leisure 6% Cont. urban fabric 0.0 Disc. urban fabric 5% Pastures & mosaics 2 Arable land & permanent crops 6 Dump sites Mineral extraction 27% Airports Port areas 0.0 Road/rail network Industrial/ commerc Net formation of artificial area [ha/year, % of initial year] Artificial development by change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year] % 0.2 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 agriculture lcf72 Forest creation, afation 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.)

9 Agriculture Sparsely veg. a. Transit. w./s. Natural grass. 0,6% Coniferous 5% Broadleaved Sport/ leisure 0, LC consumed by agriculture [% of total] Peatbogs 7% 6% Inland m. 0, Beaches, d.,s.p. 0,8% Const. 8% Water c. 0, Dump sites 8% Water b. Disc. urban fabric 0. Airports Mineral extraction 5 Ind./com. Road/rail network 0, Pastures 64% Formation of agricultural land from non-agriculture [% of total] Nonirrigated arable 36% Vineyards 0.0 Pastures 29% Fruit trees/berry plantations 0. Vineyards Consumption of agricultural land by non-agriculture [% of total] Complex cultivation patterns 0. Agriculture with natural veg. 0, Nonirrigated arable 70% Natur. g. 0,5% Mixed f. 0, Conifer. f. 0, Broad-l. f. Sport/ leisure 5% Green urban 0. Construct Formation of non-agricultural land from agriculture [% of total] Beaches, etc. Moors and 0, h. 0, Trans. w. 6% Dump s. Spar. v.a. 0. Inland m. 0, Mineral extrac. 18% Peatbogs Wat. c. 0,04% Port a. 0,0 Airports Cont. u. f. 0,0 Disc. u. f. 5% Wat. b. 7% Industrial/ commercial 40% Road/rail network Main annual conversions between agriculture and s & semi-natural land [ha/year] Mean annual conversion between arable land and pasture [ha/year] Conversion from to agriculture Conversion from dry semi-natural & natural land to agriculture Extension of pasture, set aside and fallow land Conversion from wetlands to agriculture Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation Conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation 8

10 9.31. Mean annual agriculture internal conversions [ha/year] Mean annual conversions between agriculture 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 lcf421 Conversion from arable land to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf422 Other internal conversions of arable land lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf511 Intensive conversion from to agriculture lcf431 Conversion from olives groves to vineyards and orchards lcf512 Diffuse conversion from to agriculture 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 nonirrigated arable land and permanent crops lcf463 Diffuse conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops lcf521 Intensive conversion from semi-natural land to agriculture lcf522 Diffuse conversion from seminatural land to agriculture lcf523 Conversions from agriculturenature mosaics to continuous agriculture (cont. agri. cons.) lcf523 Conversions from agriculturenature mosaics to continuous agriculture (cont. agri. form.) lcf53 Conversion from wetlands to agriculture lcf54 Conversion from developed areas to agriculture 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 agrory lcf99 Other changes and unknown (agri. form.)

11 Forest & nature Complex cultivation patterns 0. Pastures 30% Fruit trees/berry plantations 0. Peatbogs 6% Inland marshes 0.05% Vineyards 0. Sparsely vegetated areas 9% Beaches, dunes, sand plains Transit. woodland LC consumed by & nature [% of total] Agriculture with natural veg. Nonirrigated arable 29% Disc. urban fabric 0. Industrial/ commercial Airports 0. Construct. Mineral extraction 35% Consumption of & nature land by non-/nature [% of total] Moors and heathland Water courses 0. Water bodies Natural grassland Coastal lagoons 0. Mixed 9% Dump sites Sea and ocean 4% Broadleaved 6% Coniferous 4 Water bodies 48% Water courses 0. Sport/ leisure Green urban 0. Construct Formation of & nature land from non- /nature [% of total] Broadleaved Peatbogs Coniferous Inland marshes Disc. urban fabric 0.4% Mixed 0, Natural grassland 4% Moors and heathland Transition. woodland/ shrub 35% Beaches, dunes, sand plains Sparsely vegetated areas Formation of non-/nature land from & nature [% of total] Nonirrigated arable 8% Dump sites Pastures 1 Industrial/ commerc. 16% Road/rail network Mineral extraction 44% Port areas 0. Airports 4% Mixed Forested land 2012 [% of total area] Transit. woodland shrub Broadleaved Main trends in woodland & s consumption/formation [ha/year] Consumption of land by urban sprawl Conversion from to agriculture Recent fellings and transitions Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation Conifer. 5 Forest creation, afation Conversion from transitional woodland to s Forest creation over wetlands 10

12 Beaches, dunes and sand plains 6% Dry semi-natural areas 2012 [% of total area] Bare rock 5% Sparsely veget. areas Glaciers and perpetual snow Main trends in dry semi-natural land consumption/formation [ha/year] Consumption of dry semi-natural land cover by urban sprawl Conversion of semi-natural land cover to agriculture Moors and heathl. 34% Natural grassland 5 Forest creation, afation over dry semi-natural land Withdrawal of farming without woodland creation Decrease of permanent snow and glaciers Coastal lagoons 1 Estuaries 4% Wetlands & water 2012 [% of total area] Sea and ocean 0.0 Inland marshes 4% Peatbogs 7% Salt marshes Main trends in wetlands & water consumption/formation [ha/year] Consumption of wetlands by urban sprawl Conversion of wetlands to agriculture Forest creation and afation over wetlands Water bodies 3 Water courses 8% Intertidal flats 30% Withdrawal of farming without woodland creation Net water bodies creation Net wetlands creation Mean annual conversions of & 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 to agriculture lcf512 Diffuse conversion from to agriculture lcf61 Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation lcf71 Conversion from transitional woodland to (cons.) lcf71 Conversion from transitional woodland to (form.) lcf72 Forest creation, afation 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.)

13 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 agriculture lcf522 Diffuse conversion from semi-natural land to agriculture lcf523 Conversions from agriculture-nature mosaics to continuous lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation lcf72 Forest creation, afation 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 agriculture lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation lcf72 Forest creation, afation 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.)

14 CLC Changes CLC Changes 13

15 Drivers of change Drivers of change 14

16 Artificial sprawl Artificial sprawl 15

17 Agriculture Agriculture 16

18 Forest and nature Forest and nature 17