An integrated approach to land cover classification: an example in the Island of Jersey

A land cover map of Jersey was created using remotely sensed images recorde d by satellite. This map brought together a range of disparate techniques, developed in isolation and mostly applied experimentally, integrating multi sensor, multitemporal, enhanced spatial resolution data within an object-or iented integrated Geographical Information System (GIS) for an applications -driven, operational programme. It was developed under the Classification o f Environment with Vector- and Raster-Mapping (CLEVER-Mapping) project: thi s improved approach to operational land cover mapping used information on t he subdivision of the landscape into land parcels to help classify remotely sensed images on a per-parcel basis. The object-oriented approach allowed the use of remotely sensed information which relates directly to ground fea tures, and the application of improved knowledge-based corrections using a range of external data. Unlike a conventional map, the parcel-based approac h produced a GIS database containing classified land parcels which could al so be used as a storage framework and analysis tool for other datasets in l ater analyses. The GIS recorded 21 land cover types. Validation against ref erence land parcel data gave a correspondence of between 85% and 95% depend ing on the level of class aggregation.