Land Cover Mapping, Base Map GIS and Soil Database Preparation for the North-Western part of Bulgaria for the Purposes of Precision Farming

Participants: BASA-ReSAC, Cie Jules VAN LANKER s.a., Belgium)

The Projects objectives were to create Land Cover maps in scale 1:50,000 for the northern part of Bulgaria for the purposes of precision farming. As a source the Landsat TM images from 1998-1999 were used. The land cover classification used the LCCS methodology of FAO/UN for land cover mapping.

Two types of outcomes were produced: GIS Land Cover Database and printed maps in scale 1:50,000.

The GIS Land Cover Database contains information for the land cover, soil types, erosion, soil pollution, slopes. As additional information settlements, rivers, roads and electricity network was included.

Two types of maps were produced - Land Cover Maps and Soil Maps in scale 1:50,000.

Delineation and Interpretation of Forests and Permanent Crops (Vineyards and Orchards) from High-Resolution Satellite Data (1m) and Aerial Photos for Sandanski Region, Bulgaria

Participants: BASA-ReSAC

The IKONOS data were used for checking and updating the state of permanent crops such as vineyards and orchards. Two types of cultivation technology for the vineyards were observed, namely:

• Vineyards, covering large field sizes, planted on rows at a distance of 2-2.5 m from one another;
• Vineyards covering medium size fields, planted in rows at a distance of 1-1.5 m from one another.
• Orchards - well managed;
• Orchards - abandoned.

As a background information agricultural cadaster and large scale topographic maps were used. The linear features - infrastructure elements were updated on the base of the IKONOS image.

The above clearly shows that very high-resolution satellite data provide important inputs in the updating of large scale land cover/land use inventory and monitoring.