Land use information is derived from the Land Cover Map 2000 (LCM2000). The raster variant of the land cover maps with 25 m cell size was used as input.

Since 2016, the proportion of urban area shown on the land use pages is calculated directly from the Land Cover Maps as indicated below. The urban extent parameter previously presented on NRFA website was the URBEXT2000 catchment descriptor. URBEXT2000 for each station is still available along with URBEXT1990 as an FEH Catchment Descriptor.

Land Cover Map and NRFA Land Cover classes

Proportions of land cover classes based on Land Cover Maps (for 1990, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) raster with 25 m cell size and proportions of aggregated land cover classes as indicated in the table below.

Class NumberClass NameEquivalent LCM classesLCM class number
1Deciduous WoodlandBroadleaved woodland1
2Evergreen WoodlandConiferous woodland2
3CroplandArable and horticulture3
4Grassland

Improved Grassland

Neutral grassland

Calcareous grassland

Acid grassland

Fen, Marsh, Swamp

4

5

6

7

8

5Shrubland

Heather

Heather grassland

Bog

9

10

11

6Bare soil / Rock

Inland rock

Supra-littoral rock

Supralittoral sediment

12

15

16

7Inland waterFreshwater14
8Built-up areas

Urban

Suburban

20

21

NANot classifiedRemaining classes13, 17, 18, 19