Country fact sheet Land cover 2012 Italy September 2017 Photo: Toni García, My City/EEA
Land cover 2012 Overview of land cover & change Italy is a country with a relatively stable landscape, compared to the European average. The overall change rate is comparable with the previous period and also with the period 1990-2000. Concerning the main land cover flows, the land cover development is driven mostly by creation and management and by the sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures (both of them occur with similar intensity as in the previous period) and also by agricultural conversions, which intensity is getting higher again, after a major decline in the previous period. Internal conversions are the main drivers of the agricultural development in Italy they are represented mainly by conversion from vineyards and orchards to non-irrigated arable land and also by diffuse conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops. On the other hand, withdrawal of farming, which was very frequent in the period 1990-2000, is currently the least significant agricultural flow. Forest creation and management is represented mostly by internal conversion, with both recent felling and opposite creation having comparable intensity. With the mean annual land take rate of 0.38%, the speed of urban development in Italy is just slightly above the European average. This means significant slowdown, compared to both previous periods. As already mentioned, the urban development in Italy is driven mainly by the sprawl of economic sites and infrastructures, namely by the sprawl of commercial or industrial units and by construction. The residential sprawl, which was the main land take driver in the period 1990-2000, seems to be in decline in 2000-2012. 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. Number of years between CLC2006-CLC2012 data for Italy: 6 9% 1.1. Land cover 2012 [% of total] 0, Wetl. 5% 40000 20000 1.2. Net change in land cover [ha] 3.0 2.0 1.3. Net change in land cover [% of initial year 2006] 36% 1.0 30% 0 0.0 16% -20000-1.0 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 15726 108128 49064 90034 25497 9388 716 3166 301720 Consumption of initial LC 93.7 480.2 145.9 964.8 87.1 61.5 1.7 15.7 1850 Formation of new LC 423.5 345.9 9.7 854.3 44.0 144.0 9.3 19.7 1850 Net Formation of LC 329.9-134.2-136.1-110.4-43.1 82.5 7.5 4.0 0 Net formation as % of initial year 2.1-0.1-0.3-0.1-0.2 0.9 1.1 0.1 Total turnover of LC 517.2 826.1 155.6 1819.1 131.1 205.6 11.0 35.3 3701 Total turnover as % of initial year 3.3 0.8 0.3 2.0 0.5 2.2 1.5 1.1 1.2 Land cover 2012 16056 107994 48928 89924 25454 9471 724 3170 301720 1
Land cover trends comparison vs. 2.4. Annual land cover change [ha/year, % of total area] 0 20000 40000 0.10% 0.10% Artificial Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land 2.5. Annual turnover of LC types [ha/year] 0 20000 40000 2.6. Net annual change of LC types [ha/year] Artificial Arable land & permanent crops Pastures & mosaics Forested land -8000-4000 0 4000 8000 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] 29528 30841 Annual land cover change as % of initial year 0.10% 0.10% Land uptake by artificial development as mean annual change [ha/year] 8016 5786 Agricultural land uptake by urban and infrastructures development as mean annual change [ha/year] 7799 5451 Net uptake of s and semi-natural land by agriculture as mean annual change [ha/year] 616 884 Net conversion from pasture to arable land and permanent crops as mean annual change [ha/year] -82 1243 Forest & other woodland net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] 49-1841 Dry semi-natural land cover net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] -1061 711 Wetlands & water bodies net formation as mean annual change [ha/year] 419 192 15000 2.7. Intensity of main change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year] 10000 5000 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] 9000 0.37% 0.5 6000 3000 0 Slowdown of artificial development, especially residential one The pace of artificial development in Italy is just slightly above the European average. Compared with previous periods 1990-2000 and, it shows a significant slowdown. This overall slowdown is caused by decrease of intensity of commercial/industrial development and especially of residential sprawl, which was very strong before and represented the main driver of the artificial development in Italy in the period 1990-2000. Nowadays, the land take in the country is driven mostly by the sprawl of industrial, commercial sites and by construction, with the residential development on the third place. On the other hand, construction sites are continuously consumed by the developed urban land recycling, as they are transformed into industrial/commercial sites, urban fabric or transportation network. Geographically, the artificial development shows similar pattern as in the previous period, with major concentrations of sprawl in the northern Italy (in particular in the surroundings of Milan) and around the capital city Rome. 3.9. Artificial surfaces 2012 [% of total area] 3.10. Artificial land take [ha/year] 0 1000 2000 3000 18% 75% 4000 3000 2000 1000 3.11. Mean annual artificial change by class [ha/year] 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 () Internal agriculture development accelerates again After a major slowdown, which was observed in the previous period, the intensity of agricultural development in Italy shows slightly increasing tendency. Agricultural exchange in the country is driven mostly by internal flows, with prevailing share of conversion from vineyards and orchards to nonirrigated arable land and diffuse conversion from pasture to arable and permanent crops. Also the conversions from arable land to vineyards and orchards are quite frequent in Italy. Compared to both previous periods, the intensity of agricultural land consumption is significantly lower currently, this consumption is realized mainly through artificial sprawl, as the withdrawal of farming, which was very frequent in the period 1990-2000 and became much less significant between 2000 and 2012. Currently, this flow is getting a bit stronger again, with prevailing woodland creation, and it is situated mostly in the Po river valley in the northern part of the country. On the other hand, the opposite flow of conversion from to agriculture is more frequent currently, compared to previous periods and it is represented mostly by intensive conversion from broad-leaved to non-irrigated arable land. 242 14% 241 231 223 8% 4.12. Agricultural 2012 [% of total area] 222 243 1 221 4% 244 213 212 0. 211 5 20000 0-20000 -40000 0.36% -0.4 Non-irrigated arable land 4.13. Development of agricultural detailed balance [ha] -0.59% Permanently irrigated land 0.46% -0.28% Rice fields Consumption of initial land cover Formation of new land cover 0.50% -0.24% Vineyards 0.2-2.48% Fruit trees and berry plantations 0.0-0.10% Olive groves 0.08% -0.28% Pastures -0.26% Annual/ permanent crops 0.0-0.5 Complex cult. patterns 0.0-0.10% Agriculture with nat. veg. 0.00% -0.05% Agro-ry 211 Non-irrigated arable land 212 Permanently irrigated land 213 Rice fields 0 4.14. Mean annual agricultural change by class [ha/year] 221 Vineyards -3000 222 Fruit trees and berry plantations 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 -6000 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. 7% 70% 20% Forest Semi-natural vegetation Open spaces/ bare soils Wetlands Water bodies Dynamic internal exchange of natural land In the long term, creation and management is the most extensive driver of natural land cover change as well as of the landscape development in general in Italy. The current intensity of this flow is similar to both previous periods. Both recent felling and transition and conversion from transitional woodland and shrub are very frequent in the country and they occur with comparable intensity. Also beside these internal flows, the Italian natural landscape shows high dynamics of the land cover exchange. External exchange with agriculture is not as frequent as in the period 1990-2000, however, its intensity shows an increasing trend and both conversion from to agriculture and opposite withdrawal of farming occur quite often and it mostly involves a conversion between broad-leaved and arable land. There is also significant amount of other miscellaneous conversions between different natural landscape types or classes, including semi-natural rotation and in particular changes caused by and shrub fires, with prevailing share of destruction of natural by fire. 5.16. Development of & nature detailed balance [ha] 30000 0.70% 0.07% 0.15% 0.0 0.39% 4.1 2.34% 0.07% 0.1 295.78% 0.96% 1.7 1.15% 0.78% 0.04% 10.7 0-30000 -0.8-0.57% -0.27% -0.19% -0.0-0.60% -3.7-1.89% -0.4-71.80% -0.6-0.7-0.10% -0.47% -0.1-0.88% -100.00% -60000 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 6000 4000 2000 0-2000 5.17. Mean annual & nature change by class [ha/year] -4000 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] 0, Wetland 5% 5% 26% 6.19. Formation of land cover [% of total change area] 0,5% Wetland 8% 2 19% 5 8% 46% Pasture 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 lcf9 10% lcf1 4% lcf2 lcf3 16% 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 lcf4 1 lcf6 Withdrawal of farming lcf7 4 lcf6 lcf5 7% lcf7 Forests creation and management 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] Forested land 4% Pastures & mosaics 16% Seminatural vegetation Open spaces / bare soils 0. Wetlands 0.0 Water bodies Construct. 25% Dump sites Green urban 0. Sport/ leisure 4% Cont. urban fabric 0. Disc. urban fabric 1 Arable land & permanent crops 76% Mineral extraction 9% Airports 0.5% Port Road/rail network Industrial/ commerc. 4 7.23. Net formation of artificial area [ha/year, % of initial year] 7.24. Artificial development by change drivers (LC FLOWS) [ha/year] 0 3000 6000 9000 0.35% 0.5 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 0 2000 4000 7
Agriculture Scleroph. veg. Nat. grassl. Mixed 0.5% Coniferous 8.25. LC consumed by agriculture [% of total] Trans. woodl. 7% Burnt 0. Inland marsh. 0. Water c. 0,04% Water b. Ind./ com. 0, Min. extr. 4% Construct. 4% Sport/ leisure 0, Fruit trees/berry plantations Vineyards Rice fields 8.26. Formation of agricultural land from non-agriculture [% of total] Olive groves 0.0 Pastures Complex Agriculture cultivation with patterns natural veg. Agrory 0.04% Broadleaved 78% Nonirrigated arable 9 Pastures Olive groves Fruit trees/berry plantations Vineyards 8.27. Consumption of agricultural land by non-agriculture [% of total] Annual crops/perm crops Rice fields Perm. irrigated land Complex cultivation patterns 9% Agric. with natural veg. 5% Agrory 0. Nonirrigated arable 7 Scler. veg. Natural g. 0,0 Conif. f. 0, Sport/ leisure Green urban 0. Constr. 2 8.28. Formation of non-agricultural land from agriculture [% of total] Trans. Bare rock woodl. 0.0 Beaches 0, Broad-l. 1 Dump sites Mineral extraction 6% Sparsely veg. a. 0,0 Burnt Inland m. 0.4% 0.4% Water c. 0. Water b. Disc. u. fab. 1 Cont. u. fab. 0. Industrial/ commercial 36% Road/rail network Port Airports 0. 0.5% 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] -1000 0 1000 2000-1500 -1000-500 0 Conversion from to agriculture Conversion from dry seminatural & 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
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 lcf13 Development of green urban 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 to agriculture 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 to agriculture 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 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.) 0 1000 2000-6000 -3000 0 3000 9
Forest & nature Annual/ perm. crops 0,4% Pastures 5% Olive gr. Fruit trees/berry plantations 0. Vineyards 0. Rice fields 5% Sparsely veg. a. 0,04% Beaches, d., s. p. 0, Scleroph. veg. 5% Natural grassland 6% Mixed 10.33. LC consumed by & nature [% of total] Complex cult. patt. Agr. with natural veg. 10% Industrial/ commercial Min. extr. 4% Nonirrigated arable 67% Dump sites 0.4% Construct. Sport/ leisure 0,4% 10.35. Consumption of & nature land by non-/nature [% of total] Coniferous Burnt 0. Transit. woodland 10% Inland marshes 0. Salt m. 0, Water c. Water 0,04% bodies Coastal l. Sea and ocean Broadleaved 7 Burnt Sparsely vegetated 0. Bare rock 0. Beaches, dunes, sand plains Transition. woodland 16% Scleroph. veg. 7% Olive g. 0,0 Fruit/ berry Vineyards 0.5% 10.34. Formation of & nature land from non- /nature [% of total] Inland marshes Water courses Natural grassland Coniferous 0.4% Water bodies 1 Broadleaved 57% 10.36. Formation of non-/nature land from & nature [% of total] Pastures 0. Rice f. Nonirrigated arable 75% Compl. cult. patt. Agr. with nat. veg. Agro-f.a. 0,04% Ind./com. 6% Disc. u. f. Road/ rail 0,4% Port a. Min. extr. 5% Dump s. 0,4% Construct. 5% Sport/ leisure Mixed 1 10.37. Forested land 2012 [% of total area] Transit. woodland shrub 1 10.38. Main trends in woodland & s consumption/formation [ha/year] Consumption of land by urban sprawl Conversion from to agriculture 0 3000 6000 Conifer. 14% Broadleaved 6 Recent fellings and transitions Withdrawal of farming with woodland creation Forest creation, afation Conversion from transitional woodland to s Forest creation over wetlands 10
Bare rock 1 Beaches, dunes and sand plains 11.39. Dry semi-natural 2012 [% of total area] Scleroph. veget. 29% Sparsely veget. 1 Burnt 0.4% Glaciers and perpetual snow Moors and heath 4% Natural grassland 40% 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 0 300 600 Estuaries 0. Coastal lagoons 24% 11.41. Wetlands & water 2012 [% of total area] Sea and ocean 0.0 Water bodies 45% Inland marshes 5% Peatbogs 0. Salt marshes 1 Salines 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 50 100 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.) -10000-5000 0 5000 11
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.) -2000-1000 0 1000 2000 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.) -200 0 200 400 600 12
CLC Changes CLC Changes 13
Drivers of change Drivers of change 14
Artificial sprawl Artificial sprawl 15
Agriculture Agriculture 16
Forest and nature Forest and nature 17