Functionality Update for OSM Landuse Landcover

We are pleased to announce that https://osmlanduse.org has received a functionality update. Thanks to the cooperation of GIScience and HeiGIT under the IDEAL-VGI project, our researchers were able to add a number of new features to the interactive map. The map displays OSM land-use and land-cover information.

The two different data layers that made up this unique tool are now available separately for selection using the layers switcher in the top right corner.

  1. the current OSM land-use and land-cover information, mapped to CORINE land-cover classes
  2. the deep learning based gap-filled version created in 2020 for the EU territory

It is also possible to display both layers at the same time.

In addition, different base-layers are now available. The standard OSM map base layer allows quick visual geolocation, while the new ESRI aerial imagery base layer enables users to compare the land-use information with the “real world” situation. This allows for a visual analysis of the mapping detail, data errors and data completeness. In case you are only interested in the OSM land-use information, you can also turn the base map off.

When zoomed in, a pie-chart depicting class distribution in the current viewport is also available. The update enhances the precision of the chart and adapts to the layer choices of the user. The chart now features the category “missing data” for unmapped areas. This allows fast completeness analyses and region characterizations.

Try it out at https://osmlanduse.org.

Follow-up

Seeing the interest in the topic we would like to highlight the WMS service that feeds osmlanduse.org. You can find it at https://maps.heigit.org/osmlanduse/service (see https://maps.heigit.org/osmlanduse/service?REQUEST=GetCapabilities for an overview).

The OSM land-use layer name is osmlanduse:osm_lulc and you are welcome to use it in your GIS software. See for example here for a tutorial on how to use WMS layers in QGIS. For attribution and more information, see the info box on osmlanduse.org.


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