Owing to changes in satellite mapping technology and data collection methods, comparisons of the 1990, 2000 and 2007 Land Cover Map datasets to detect change over time must be treated with caution. Many changes appear because of the improvements in the methodologies used to create the data and do not necessarily reflect actual change on the ground.

The challenge when comparing two land cover maps to detect change is product error (noise). The annual rate of land cover change is typically less than 5%, whereas in some regions product error will be as high as 20%. When comparing one year to the next, therefore, it very difficult to know which differences are due to real-world change versus noise.

One way to overcome this problem is to increase the time interval. This is why UKCEH has released a 25-year change product (Land Cover Change 1990-2015, representing the interval 1990 to 2015) as they were confident that the ratio of real-world change to noise had shifted towards demonstrating real change in the environment.

Where use of UKCEH’s Land Cover Change 1990-2015 dataset does not give you the answers you require, annual land cover maps can be used for change detection provided care is taken and the associated issues are understood. In fact, the main reason for UKCEH producing annual land cover maps is to tackle the change-over-time problem.

With the UKCEH annual land cover maps the noise problem will remain when comparing one year with the next. However, errors are random in space and time, so confidence will increase rapidly when comparing three or more annual maps, since it is very unlikely that the same errors will occur in exactly the same locations. As the annual time series matures, errors will tend to flicker on and off, but real changes will persist. The richer this series becomes the more powerful it becomes as a resource for tracking land cover changes across the UK.

In 2023 UKCEH will release the 6th map in the annual time series which started with LCM2017. In future years UKCEH hopes to close some of the historical gaps in the land cover map series and so extend the annual sequence. In the past, the UKCEH land cover team have cautioned users on using these maps to detect change. They now encourage you to do so - it is what they are for! If you develop reliable methods, they would love to hear from you.

You may use these data as part of publications according to the stipulations given in the End User licence Agreement. You are responsible for checking the whether or not you are permitted to use the data in any specific publication or type of publication. But, broadly speaking, you may publish maps showing the UKCEH data in academic journals or on websites. You should also check the End User Licence Agreement specifically for the acknowledgements which must accompany any publication. If you are in any doubt, please contact digimap@ed.ac.uk for help.

Please check the End User Licence Agreement. You may not publish any UKCEH data on any website, but you may use images of those data providing the source is appropriately acknowledged (details given in the EULA).

Yes you may, for Educational Purposes only, incorporate parts of the UKCEH data in teaching materials. It is your responsibility to ensure that each item carries the appropriate copyright notice and/or acknowledgements as listed in the schedule of the End User Licence Agreement. Course packs in non-electronic non-print perceptible form, such as Braille, may also be offered to Authorised Users.

Yes. See the End User Licence Agreement.

You may archvie your research and any written or electronic documents associated with it, but you may not store the original data. This is because the data is licensed and not purchased, therefore you do not have any in perpetuity rights to retain it. Please check the End User Licence Agreement.

Yes. The End User Licence Agreement permits you to use the UKCEH data as part of a presentation at a seminar, conference, or workshop, or other such similar activity, providing the appropriate acknowledgements are in place.

You may only keep electronic copies of the data for as long as you remain an Authorised User. Should you leave your institution, or your institution ceases to subscribe to the Environment Digimap collection or you otherwise cease to meet the criteria given in the definition of Authorised User, you must delete any data you have downloaded. Please check the End User Licence Agreement.

You are only licensed to use these data for the period you qualify as an Authorised User. The definition of Authorised User is given in the End User Licence Agreement. If you no longer qualify as an Authorised User, for example, if you leave your institution or your institution ceases to subscribe to Environment Digimap, you must delete any data you have downloaded.

No. You no longer qualify as an Authorised User. You must delete any data you have downloaded.

No. You may only use the data for Educational Purposes as defined in the End User Licence Agreement. Please contact UKCEH directly to discuss data use and licensing for any purpose not covered by the EULA.

You may only share the data with others who are also Authorised Users. Please check the definition of Authorised User in the End User Licence Agreement. Note that it is your responsibility to check whether an individual is an Authorised User or not prior to sharing any data with that individual. If you are collaborating with other organisations, please contact us to check that those organisations are covered by an appropriate licence.

All notices and acknowledgements which must accompany the publication of any images from these data are given in the End User Licence Agreement and vary depending which dataset has been used. Note that you may need to include more than one notice or acknowledgement.

"Free of charge" should not be confused with "Open Source". The data themselves are free of charge at the point of use, although still subject to the terms of the End User Licence Agreement.  This does not make them "open source". The subscription fee paid by your institution, which provides you with access to these data via Digimap, covers the cost of providing the service. It is not a fee for the data. The same data may be available from other sources but may also be subject to a data processing or delivery fee. These data are not open source.

Each UKCEH dataset has a different copyright statement and list of required acknowledgements. Please see the End User Licence Agreement for full details.

The maps shown have been scanned from paper maps. Where the edges of these paper maps have been distorted due to wear and tear there will be gaps. Warping in the paper maps will lead to discontinuities between features which appear at the edges of map sheets. Since the maps have been sourced from multiple collections and these collections may have stored the original paper maps under different conditions there are bound to be differences in the condition of the maps.

This resource is supplied free to all UK higher and further education establishments for the express purpose of supporting teaching, learning and research. Commercial exploitation is strictly forbidden under the current licensing arrangements. If in doubt about your proposed use please contact digimap@ed.ac.uk.

The land-use maps provide a snapshot of land-use in Britain in the years before the Second World War.

Comparison with contemporary Ordnance Survey mapping allows users to explore how the British landscape has changed since the middle of the 20th century. Post war urban expansion is clearly evident.