Bongani Majeke
–
CSIR,
South Africa
Email: [email protected]
Humbulani Mudau
CSIR
Luvuyo Poti
CSIR
Abel Ramoelo
CSIR
Mark Thompson
CSIR
Gavin Flemming, Graeme McFerren, and Jan van Aardt
CSIR
The National Land-Cover (NLC) 2000 project was implemented in 2002 to update and improve the existing South African land-cover database after the successful completion of the 1994/1995 mapping. The 1994/1995 effort provided for the first time, a standardised, baseline data on land-cover/use for the whole of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland with enhanced spatial detail and information content. The updated land-cover product is suitable for 1:50,000 scale GIS-based mapping and modelling applications based on mapping the dominant land-cover within (approximately) a 1 ha unit. The land-cover database is derived from seasonal (two seasons satellite imagery), ortho-rectified, standardised, high resolution digital satellite imagery from Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+), which were acquired principally during 2000 – 2002 and in conjunction with ancillary data. The land-cover information produced in 1994/1995 provided a unique window on national resource status at that point in time for strategic national planning and management. Implementation of a long-term monitoring mechanism (operational procedure), capable of providing critical information on the rate, extent and location of resource utilisation and land-cover/use, will enhance this national effort. This includes effective change assessment for landscapes and natural and man-impacted environments. Future efforts will focus on enhancement of land cover mapping by including infrastructure and population data.
