Country fact sheet Land cover 2012 Portugal September 2017 Photo: Toni García, My City/EEA
Land cover 2012 Overview of land cover & change In the long term, Portugal is a country with the highest dynamics of land cover change in Europe. This is documented by very high annual land cover change rate 0.9 of total area. However, the speed of landscape development was even much higher during the previous period, which was characterized by extremely high annual change rate 1.4. Although its intensity significantly decreased, compared to the previous period, creation and management remains by far the most extensive land cover flow in the country. The second most intensive driver of land cover development in Portugal are internal agricultural conversions, which occur with more than doubled intensity, compared with the period. This is caused mostly by rapid increase of conversion of arable land to olive grows, which was not very frequent during the previous period, but also exchanges between pasture and arable/crop land in both directions occur with significantly higher intensity in the period. On the other hand, conversions between agricultural and natural land, which were important drivers of the change during the previous periods, lost most of its intensity currently. The net change balance shows very high consumption of open spaces/bare soils, which had not been observed during the previous period. This transition is caused by afation of burnt. Compared to these extensive flows, artificial development in Portugal is less significant. However, with the annual land take rate 0.5, it belongs to the fastest among European countries. It has to be mentioned, that the intensity of land take was even much stronger in the previous period (1.6) and during the period 1990-2000 (2.17%). These numbers show that artificial development is currently rather in decline in Portugal. Note: The results presented here are based on a change analysis of 44 land cover types mapped consistently on a 1:100.000 scale across Europe over more than decade between 2000- - see Corine land cover (CLC) programme for details. The accounts for Azores and Madeira are not included into this analysis. Number of years between CLC2006-CLC2012 data for Portugal: 6 1.1. Land cover 2012 [% of total] Open sp. 8% 0, Wetl. 4% 2 15000 0 1.2. Net change in land cover [ha] 5.0 0.0-5.0 1.3. Net change in land cover [% of initial year 2006] -10.0 39% 24% -15000-15.0-30000 -20.0 A rtificial A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies Summary balance table Artificial Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies TOTAL [hundreds ha] Land cover 2006 3579 20731 22213 35800 6992 1413 353 1352 92432 Consumption of initial LC 69.7 653.6 126.6 3681.9 103.0 373.6 0.6 2.2 5011 Formation of new LC 170.4 623.4 60.8 3824.0 106.8 204.2 0.6 21.1 5011 Net Formation of LC 100.6-30.2-65.8 142.1 3.8-169.4 0.0 18.9 0 Net formation as % of initial year 2.8-0.1-0.3 0.4 0.1-12.0 0.0 1.4 Total turnover of LC 240.1 1277.0 187.3 7505.9 209.8 577.8 1.2 23.3 10023 Total turnover as % of initial year 6.7 6.2 0.8 21.0 3.0 40.9 0.4 1.7 10.8 1 Land cover 2012 3679 20701 22148 35942 6996 1244 353 1371 92432
Land cover trends comparison vs. 2.4. Annual land cover change [ha/year, % of total area] 0 50000 100000 1.37% 0.90% Artificial Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land 2.5. Annual turnover of LC types [ha/year] 0 50000 100000 150000 200000 2.6. Net annual change of LC types [ha/year] Artificial Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land -6000-3000 0 3000 6000 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] 126627 83521 Annual land cover change as % of initial year 1.37% 0.90% Land uptake by artificial development as mean annual change [ha/year] 4731 1853 Agricultural land uptake by urban and infrastructures development as mean annual change [ha/year] 3327 857 Net uptake of s and semi-natural land by agriculture as mean annual change [ha/year] -4319-814 Net conversion from pasture to arable land and permanent crops as mean annual change [ha/year] 188 233 Forest & other woodland net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] 4701 2369 Dry semi-natural land cover net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] -3455-2557 Wetlands & water bodies net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] 3077 314 2.7. Intensity of main change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year] 90000 60000 30000 0 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
Artificial surfaces sprawl () 3.8. Artificial land take [ha/year, % of initial year] 4000 1.4 2000 0.5 0 Despite rapid slowdown, artificial development is still strong Compared to both previous periods, the pace of artificial development is much lower in the period. However, a comparison with other European countries shows that it still remains very intensive, considering the European context. It is driven mainly by construction, by the sprawl of sport and leisure facilities and industrial or commercial sites. There is also significant amount of recycling of developed urban land in Portugal, represented by conversion of sites which were under construction during the previous period into transportation, commercial/industrial or residential units. The residential sprawl, which was very intensive in Portugal, especially during the period 1990-2000, lost most of its intensity currently. Geographically, the sprawl shows similar pattern as in both previous periods, although with significantly lower density. Its major concentrations are situated in the surroundings of the capital city Lisabon, along the southern coast and especially around the city of Porto in the north. Also the construction of highway network in the northern part of the country started already during the previous period. 3.9. Artificial surfaces 2012 [% of total area] 3.10. Artificial land take [ha/year] 6% 0 300 600 900 1 7 3.11. Mean annual artificial change by class [ha/year] 2000 1000 2000-2012 0-1000 Continuous urban fabric Discontinuous urban fabric Industrial or commercial units Road and rail networks and associated land Port Airports Mineral extraction sites Dump sites Construction sites Green urban Sport and leisure facilities 3
Agriculture () Conversion from arable land to olive groves The agricultural development in Portugal is driven mostly by internal conversions, which appear with significantly higher intensity currently than in the previous period and became the second major driver of the land cover development in the country. This increase is driven mainly by rapidly increased conversions from arable land to olive groves. But also the intensity of conversions between pasture and arable/crop land in both directions is much higher than in the period (however, still lower than in 1990-2000). On the other hand, agro-natural conversions, in particular withdrawal of farming with woodland creation, which were quite frequent during both previous periods, lost most of its intensity in the period. Despite this slow down, withdrawal of farming with transitional woodland creation remains the main source of agricultural land consumption in Portugal. Geographically, this flow is concentrated in the southern part of the country. 4.12. Agricultural 2012 [% of total area] 4.13. Development of agricultural detailed balance [ha] 243 19% 244 1 242 1 241 8% 211 20% 231 223 7% 212 213 221 222 25000 0-25000 -50000 0.48% -4.84% Non-irrigated arable land 3.57% -6.0 Permanently irrigated land 8.3-0.7 Rice fields Consumption of initial land cover Formation of new land cover 2.00% -1.3 Vineyards 2.7-1.18% Fruit trees and berry plantations 14.1-1.10% Olive groves 2.64% -3.17% Pastures 0.00% -0.26% Annual/ permanent crops 0.09% -0.20% Complex cult. patterns 0.18% -0.39% Agriculture with nat. veg. 0.06% -0.60% Agro-ry 211 Non-irrigated arable land 212 Permanently irrigated land 213 Rice fields 221 Vineyards 4000 0 4.14. Mean annual agricultural change by class [ha/year] 222 Fruit trees and berry plantations -4000 223 Olive groves 231 Pastures 241 Annual crops associated with permanent crops 242 Complex cultivation patterns 243 Agriculture land with significant of natural vegetation 244 Agro-ry -8000 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 4
Forest & nature () 5.15. Forest & nature 2012 [% of total area] Wetl. 1 78% Forest Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies Internal conversions, recovery of burnt The main drivers of natural land development in Portugal, as well as of the landscape exchange in the country in general, are the internal conversions. After a culmination in the previous period, their intensity shows decreasing trend currently, however, they still remain by far the most extensive land cover flow in the country. Concerning their direction, the conversion from transitional woodland to is more frequent, which is opposite trend compared to both previous periods. The other extensive flow in Portuguese natural landscape is a transition of burnt into natural land cover they are covered by transitional woodland and shrubs, moors and heathlands or sclerophyllous vegetation. On the other hand, there were also observed some cases of and shrub fires in the period ; in particular in the northern part of the country, however, there extent was smaller than in the previous period. 5.16. Development of & nature detailed balance [ha] 140000 70000 13.87% 5.49% 6.3 0.80% 1.84% 1.4 11.7 0.24% 50.44% 0.28% 0.16% 3.44% 0-70000 -140000-7.6-9.89% -6.88% -1.14% -1.7-1.2-13.16% -0.46% -92.2-0.06% -0.7-0.30% -100.00% -210000 Broad-leaved Coniferous Mixed Natural grassland Moors and heathland Sclerophyllous vegetation Transitional woodland shrub Beaches, dunes, sand Bare rock Sparsely vegetated Burnt 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 60000 40000 20000 0-20000 5.17. Mean annual & nature change by class [ha/year] -40000 Broad-leaved Coniferous Mixed Natural grassland Moors and heathland Sclerophyllous vegetation Transitional woodland shrub Beaches, dunes, sand Bare rock Sparsely vegetated Burnt Glaciers and perpetual snow Inland marshes Peatbogs Salt marshes Salines Intertidal flats Water courses Water bodies Coastal lagoons Estuaries Sea and ocean 5
Annex: Land cover flows and trends Land cover flows 6.18. Consumption of land cover [% of total change area] 7% Wet. 0,0 Wat. b. 0,04% 1 6.19. Formation of land cover [% of total change area] Wetl. 4% 0,0 1 74% 76% A rtificial A rable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies 6.20. Drivers of change (LC FLOWS) [% of total change area] lcf8 0.4% lcf9 6% lcf1 lcf2 0. lcf3 lcf4 1 lcf5 lcf6 lcf1 Urban land management lcf2 Urban residential sprawl 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 lcf7 Forests creation and management lcf7 74% lcf8 Water bodies creation and management lcf9 C hanges due to natural and multiple causes 6
Artificial 7.21. Consumption by artificial land take [% of total] 7.22. Formation by artificial land take [% of total] Seminatural vegetation 8% Open spaces / bare soils Water bodies Arable land & permanent crops 16% Green urban 0. Sport/ leisure 8% Disc. urban fabric Industrial/ commerc. 17% Road/rail network 8% Pastures & mosaics 18% Port 0.4% Forested land 54% Construct. 5 Dump sites 4% Airports Mineral extraction 8% 7.23. Net formation of artificial area [ha/year, % of initial year] 7.24. Artificial development by change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year] 0 2000 4000 0.47% 1.4 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 (cons.) lcf13 Development of green urban (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 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 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.) -2000-1000 0 1000 2000 7
Agriculture 8.25. LC consumed by agriculture [% of total] 8.26. Formation of agricultural land from non-agriculture [% of total] Burnt 0. Mineral extraction Industrial/ commercial 0,0 Dump sites 0. Construct. Broadleaved 1 Complex cultivation patterns Agriculture with natural veg. 1 Agrory Nonirrigated arable 1 Transition. woodland/ shrub 4 Sclerophyll ous veg. 17% Moors and heathland 9% Coniferous 7% Mixed Natural grassland Annual crops/perm anent crops 0. Pastures 1 Olive groves 19% Fruit trees/berry plantations 6% Perm. irrigated land 9% Vineyards 18% 8.27. Consumption of agricultural land by non-agriculture [% of total] 8.28. Formation of non-agricultural land from agriculture [% of total] Agriculture with natural veg. 16% Complex cultivation patterns Annual crops/perm anent crops Agrory 16% Pastures 10% Olive groves 7% Fruit trees/berry plantations Nonirrigated arable 39% Rice fields 0.0 Perm. irrigated land Vineyards 4% Disc. urban fabric Industrial/ commer. Water bodies 8% Transition. woodland/ shrub 54% Road/rail network Airports 0. Scleroph. veg. 9% Mineral extraction Dump s. 0, Constr. 1 Moors and heath. 0, Green urban 0, Sport Broadleaved Conif. f. 0, Mixed f.t 0.4% Nat. grass. 8.29. Main annual conversions between agriculture and s & semi-natural land [ha/year] 8.30. Mean annual conversion between arable land and pasture [ha/year] Conversion from to agriculture Conversion from dry seminatural & natural land to agriculture -1600-800 0 800-800 -400 0 400 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
9.31. Mean annual agriculture internal conversions [ha/year] 9.32. Mean annual conversions between agriculture and other LC types [ha/year] lcf411 Uniform extension of set aside fallow land and pasture lcf412 Diffuse extension of set aside fallow land and pasture lcf13 Development of green urban lcf2 Urban residential sprawl lcf421 Conversion from arable land to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf3 Sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures lcf422 Other internal conversions of arable land 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 lcf521 Intensive conversion from semi-natural land to agriculture lcf433 Other conversions between vineyards and orchards lcf522 Diffuse conversion from seminatural land to agriculture lcf441 Conversion from permanent crops to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf442 Conversion from vineyards and orchards to non-irrigated arable land lcf523 Conversions from agriculturenature mosaics to continuous agriculture (cont. agri. cons.) lcf523 Conversions from agriculturenature mosaics to continuous agriculture (cont. agri. form.) lcf443 Conversion from olive groves to non-irrigated arable land lcf53 Conversion from wetlands to agriculture lcf444 Diffuse conversion from permanent crops to arable land lcf54 Conversion from developed to agriculture lcf451 Conversion from arable land to vineyards and orchards lcf61 Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation lcf452 Conversion from arable land to olive groves lcf62 Withdrawal of farming without significant woodland creation lcf453 Diffuse conversion from arable land to permanent crops lcf81 Water bodies creation lcf461 Conversion from pasture to permanent irrigation perimeters lcf913 Extension of water courses lcf462 Intensive conversion from pasture to non-irrigated arable land and permanent crops lcf463 Diffuse conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops lcf47 Extension of agrory 0 3000 6000 lcf92 Forests and shrubs fires lcf93 Coastal erosion lcf99 Other changes and unknown (agri. cons.) lcf99 Other changes and unknown (agri. form.) -9000-6000 -3000 0 3000 9
Forest & nature Agriculture with natural veg. 1 Complex cultivation patterns 0. Annual crops/per. crops 0. Pastures 9% Olive groves 7% Transition. woodland/ shrub 46% 10.33. LC consumed by & nature [% of total] Agrory 18% Mineral extraction Fruit trees/berry plantations Dump sites 0.4% Construct. Vineyards Sport/ leisure 0, Nonirrigated arable 4 Perm. irrigated land 10.35. Consumption of & nature land by non-/nature [% of total] Sparsely vegetated Burnt Water bodies Scleroph. veg. 10% Sea and ocean 0. Broadleaved 1 Coniferous 1 Mixed 10% Natural grassland Moors and heathland 8% Water bodies 1 Sparsely vegetated Complex cult. pat. 10.34. Formation of & nature land from non- /nature [% of total] Transition. woodland/ shrub 67% Fruit trees/berry plantations Broadleaved Conifer. 0, Mixed 0. Disc. urb. fabric Industr./ commer. 7% Natural grassland 6% Moors and heathland Scleroph. veg. 1 10.36. Formation of non-/nature land from & nature [% of total] Vineyards 9% Perm. irrigated land Agric. with nat. veg. Annual crops/per. crops 0. Pasture 7% Olive groves 10% Nonirrigated arable 7% Agrory Sport/ leisure Road/rail network 4% Port 0. Airports Mineral extraction Dump sites Construct. 26% 10
Transit. woodland shrub 4 10.37. Forested land 2012 [% of total area] Broadleaved 29% 10.38. Main trends in woodland & s consumption/formation [ha/year] Consumption of land by urban sprawl Conversion from to agriculture Recent fellings and transitions 0 20000 40000 Mixed 14% Conifer. 14% Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation Forest creation, afation Conversion from transitional woodland to s Forest creation over wetlands Bare rock 0. Beaches, dunes and sand plains Scleroph. veget. 29% 11.39. Dry semi-natural 2012 [% of total area] Sparsely veget. 1 Burnt Natural grassland 1 Moors and heathl. 44% 11.40. 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 Forest creation, afation over dry semi-natural land Withdrawal of farming without woodland creation Decrease of permanent snow and glaciers 0 2000 4000 6000 Coastal lagoons Estuaries 28% 11.41. Wetlands & water 2012 [% of total area] Inland marshes Peatbogs Salt marshes 10% Water bodies 37% Salines 4% Intertidal flats Water courses 1 11.42. 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 Withdrawal of farming without woodland creation Net water bodies creation Net wetlands creation 0 200 400 11
11.43. Mean annual conversions of & other woodland [ha/year] lcf13 Development of green urban 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.) -80000-40000 0 40000 80000 12.44. Mean annual conversions of dry semi-natural LC [ha/year] lcf13 Development of green urban 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.) -8000-4000 0 4000 12
12.45. Mean annual conversions of wetlands and water LC [ha/year] lcf13 Development of green urban 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.) -1000 0 1000 2000 3000 13
CLC Changes CLC Changes 14
Drivers of change Drivers of change 15
Artificial sprawl Artificial sprawl 16
Agriculture Agriculture 17
Forest and nature Forest and nature 18