Mapped Agricultural Land Capability Classification Data for Australia V.20

http://rdp.utas.edu.au/metadata/965ccbeb-6748-4c67-ad0e-56481e97780a

Creators:
Vanessa Adams (0000-0002-3509-7901)
Co-Creators:
Jayden Engert (0000-0002-5558-2058)

Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences

Agricultural land capability Land capacity Land suitability cropping grazing horticulture forestry

This data record contains a national agricultural land capability map for Australia, based on state agricultural land capability datasets reclassified to a single agricultural land capability classification (NSW method) and modeled grazing suitability. The data includes three raster layers (provided as GeoTIFF land_capability). The national scale agricultural land capability map is the primary data product available in the agricultural land capability data package (raster layer with 9 classes adhering to the NSW land capability mapping method definitions). The compiled state and territory land capability data on the unified rating class system is available as a sub product of the agricultural land capability data package (existing_capability GeoTIFF). Pastoral capability based upon modeled grazing suitability is available as a sub product of the agricultural land capability data package (pastoral_capability GeoTIFF).

2019 - present

Land capability classification follows the NSW land capability mapping method where a classification of '1' indicates "Extremely high capability land: land has not limitations. No special land management practices required. Land capable of all rural land uses and land management practices"; and a value of '8' indicates "Extremely low capability land: Limitations are so severe that the land is incapable of sustaining any land use apart from nature conservation. There should be no disturbance of native vegetation". Creation of land capability datasets at the state/territory level fell into three main methodological forms: (1) reclassification to fit NSW rating scale, (2) integration of multiple land capability maps and reclassification to fit NSW rating scale, and (3) creation of new land capability map following existing guidelines. Queensland and Tasmania both had existing comprehensive land capability datasets which were reclassified to fit the NSW rating scale. Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory had existing land capability maps for various different land use types (i.e. horticulture, field cropping, grazing) which were integrated into a single comprehensive dataset before being reclassified to fit the NSW rating scale. Finally, Victoria had no existing land capability dataset and hence it was necessary to create a new dataset. To fill remaining gaps in the spatial data we mapped grazing suitability (classes 5-8) based on published methods and using national maps of vegetation type and mean annual rainfall.

300203 Agricultural land planning 410401 Conservation and biodiversity
180603 Evaluation, allocation, and impacts of land use 190207 Land policy

Data Access

  1. RD-LANDCAPAUS-02.zip ({{392729779 | bytes}})


Adams, V, Engert, J (2022) Data from: Mapped Agricultural Land Capability Classification Data for Australia V.20. https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/kjdc-k508
10.25959/kjdc-k508 (DataCite reference)
Harko Werkman (0000-0001-5603-5024)
27-Jul-2022