Linking Mapping to Policy:
Land Cover
Land Cover
Land cover mapping divides the landscape according to its biophysical characteristics. The Action for Adaptation land cover mapping uses 9 classes including water, cropland, pasture/hay, shrubs, and broad leaved trees, which align with the classifications in the North American Land Change Monitoring System.
To identify different land cover types, our mappers at UBC Okanagan applied a machine learning model which pulls from high resolution Planet imagery (3 m) and LiDAR data. The model was trained initially through a desk top review using aerial photos, and then through field verification using community science and the Survey 123app.
Using mapping to see current types and quantities of natural land cover is a powerful way to inform planning that accounts for the cumulative effects of development. Comparing existing data with previous mapped layers can help reveal how and where land cover has changed over time.
This information can be used to make land use and zoning decisions that retain and enhance ecosystem services and that leverage opportunities for nature-based solutions, rather than further erode them.
To advance nature-based climate resilience and biodiversity protection, local governments should establish clear and long-term land use and environmental objectives that can be achieved through policies linked to targets and indicators.