National Land Cover Map

Launched in March 2023, the National Landcover Map provides an unprecedented level of detail about land cover in the Republic of Ireland.  It can be used by all kinds of public and private sector organisations to gain a deeper understanding of the environment and the challenges posed by development, habitat loss and climate change.

The National Landcover Map offers:

Exceptional detail about landcover in Ireland
The National Landcover Map has a resolution of at least 0.1 hectares, making it 250 times more detailed than CORINE, the pan-European landcover dataset

Over 10 million classified landcover features
Developed using an innovative mapping methodology, machine learning, and remote sensing techniques, the map describes millions of landscape features

36 different land classifications
The map features a set of landcover classifications designed specifically for Ireland to provide the best and most precise descriptions of landcover types commonly found across the country

Independently verified data
The National Landcover Map was created using a comprehensive and independent validation process in which over 20,000 landcover samples were verified by seven external stakeholders. 

Use the National Landcover Map to:

Better understand landcover throughout Ireland
The National Landcover Map classifies natural vegetation, freshwater, and artificial surfaces across the whole of the Republic of Ireland, enabling users to gain a far deeper understanding of Ireland’s diverse environments

Make informed decisions
This new resource can be used in a myriad of ways to help people make informed decisions and balance the needs of the environment with the requirements of industry, housing, infrastructure and leisure activities

Save time and money
Those organisations that have previously developed their own landcover maps for specific sites or projects can now avoid this cost and save time by using the National Landcover Map instead

Collaborate more effectively with other organisations
By using the National Landcover Map in place of internally-created resources, organisations can use the same, standard landcover classifications as their partners and share data more easily.

The National Landcover Map was produced by the National Mapping Division of Tailte in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and with the support of members of the cross-governmental national landcover and habitat mapping (NLCHM) working group.

Download the National Land Cover Map of Ireland 2018 Final Report.