New Zealand Land Cover Database

The New Zealand Land Cover Database (LCDB) is a multi-temporal, thematic classification of New Zealand's land cover. It identifies 33 mainland land cover classes (35 classes once the offshore Chatham Islands are included). Classes include extent of vegetation, built environments, water bodies, and bare natural surfaces across New Zealand. The LCDB has been prepared five times from imagery collected in summer 1996/97, summer 2001/02, summer 2008/09, summer 2012/13, and summer 2018/19. The data set was designed to be compatible in theme, scale, and accuracy with Land Information New Zealand's 1:50,000 topographic database. The LCDB is used for many applications, from international and national reporting of the state of the environment, through to the management and monitoring of land cover and land use, helping decision-makers to understand the pressures that different land uses are placing on our land and waterways, along with the implications for biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems. Funding for LCDB is coordinated by MfE.
Hosted By: Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research
Categories: Land, Biodiversity
Keywords: Land Cover, Biodiversity, Vegetation, New Zealand
Data Quality
Parameter Score Description
Accessible (AC) Good Data are accessible from a public facing server
Common Format (CF) Good Data are available in a commonly used format (syntax)
Data Lineage Statement (DL) Good Data are well described in terms of their origins, modifications and processing history
Data Quality Statement (DQ) Good Data are well described in terms of their content quality, completeness and consistency
Governance (GO) Good The contributing organisation (CRI) has ownership or recognised stewardship of the data
Identifiers (ID) Good Both metadata and the data are described with a unique identifier
Terms of use (TU) Good A data licence is easily accessible and understandable
Last Updated (LU) Good A last updated statement is available