This dataset contains existing and potential areas of habitats associated with calcareous, coastal, upland and lowland heath landscapes. The dataset was initially created to provide a sampling framework for a field survey carried out in 1992 and 1993 by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (later part of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology). It was derived from a range of geology, soils, altitude and land cover data (as described fully in the supporting information). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/dc583be3-3649-4df6-b67e-b0f40b4ec895

The Land Classification 1998 is a classification of Great Britain into a set of 40 environmental strata, termed land classes, to be used as a basis for ecological survey, originally developed by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE) in the late 1970s and building upon a previous 1990 version. The strata were created from the multivariate analysis of 75 environmental variables, including climatic data, topographic data, human geographical features and geology data. The Land Classification can be used to stratify a wide range of ecological and biogeographical surveys to improve the efficiency of collection, analysis and presentation of information derived from a sample. The Land Classification 1998 provided stratification for the Countryside Survey of Great Britain 2000 and was adjusted from the 1990 version as a consequence of needing to provide National Estimates for habitats for Scotland from Countryside Survey 2000 in addition to GB as a whole. The dataset was later modified in 2007 during Countryside Survey 2007. Both the 1990 version and the 2007 version are also available. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/971671a6-98b4-4d80-b165-21dace7373b9

The Land Classification 1990 is a classification of Great Britain into a set of 32 environmental strata, termed land classes, to be used as a basis for ecological survey, originally developed by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE) in the late 1970s. The strata were created from the multivariate analysis of 75 environmental variables, including climatic data, topographic data, human geographical features and geology data. The Land Classification can be used to stratify a wide range of ecological and biogeographical surveys to improve the efficiency of collection, analysis and presentation of information derived from a sample. The Land Classification 1990 provided stratification the Countryside Survey of Great Britain 1990. The dataset was later modified in 1998 and 2007 for successive Countryside Surveys, both versions of which are also available. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/ab320e08-faf5-48e1-9ec9-77a213d2907f

[THIS DATASET HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN]. The Land Cover Map of Great Britain 1990 (1km percentage target class, GB), is a raster digital dataset, providing a classification of land cover types into 25 classes, at a 1km resolution. The dataset consists of a set of 1km bands, each containing one of 25 target classes (or 'sub' classes). Each band of the dataset contains the percentage of the specified habitat class per 1km, derived from a higher resolution (25m) dataset. The map was produced using supervised maximum likelihood classifications of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper satellite data. The 25 mapped classes include sea and inland waters, bare, suburban and urban areas, arable farmland, pastures and meadows, rough grass, grass heaths and moors, bracken, dwarf shrub heaths and moorland, scrub, deciduous and evergreen woodland, and upland and lowland bogs. It can potentially be used to plan, manage or monitor agriculture, ecology, conservation, forestry, environmental assessment, water supplies, urban spread, transport, telecommunications, recreation and mineral extraction. The map was produced in the early 1990s by a forerunner of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, at Monks Wood. Note: The bands in the dataset run from 1-26, not 0-25 as stated in the documentation. Hence '1' is unclassifed (not '0'), '2' is sea/estuary and so on. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/0172cc8c-8b5c-46cf-b08a-785ab832e88c

[THIS DATASET HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN]. This dataset consists of the 25m raster version of the Land Cover Map 1990 (LCM1990) for Great Britain. The 25m raster product consists of three bands: Band 1 - raster representation of the majority (dominant) class per polygon for 21 target classes; Band 2 - mean per polygon probability as reported by the Random Forest classifier (see supporting information); Band 3 - percentage of the polygon covered by the majority class. The 21 target classes are based on the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Broad Habitats, which encompass the entire range of UK habitats. This dataset is derived from the vector version of the Land Cover Map, which contains individual parcels of land cover and is the highest available spatial resolution. The 25m raster is the most detailed of the LCM1990 raster products both thematically and spatially, and it is used to derive the 1km products. LCM1990 is a land cover map of the UK which was produced at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology by classifying satellite images (mainly from 1989 and 1990) into 21 Broad Habitat-based classes. It is the first in a series of land cover maps for the UK, which also includes maps for 2000, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019. LCM1990 consists of a range of raster and vector products and users should familiarise themselves with the full range (see related records, the CEH web site and the LCM1990 Dataset documentation) to select the product most suited to their needs. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/3d974cbe-743d-41da-a2e1-f28753f13d1e

[THIS DATASET HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN]. The Land Cover Map of Great Britain 1990 (1km dominant target class, GB), is a raster digital dataset, providing classification of land cover types into 25 classes, at a 1km resolution. The dataset consists of a 1km grid with a full set of the 25 target classes (or 'sub' classes). Each 1km contains the dominant habitat class, derived from a higher resolution (25m) dataset. The map was produced using supervised maximum likelihood classifications of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper satellite data. The 25 mapped classes include sea and inland waters, bare, suburban and urban areas, arable farmland, pastures and meadows, rough grass, grass heaths and moors, bracken, dwarf shrub heaths and moorland, scrub, deciduous and evergreen woodland, and upland and lowland bogs. It can potentially be used to plan, manage or monitor agriculture, ecology, conservation, forestry, environmental assessment, water supplies, urban spread, transport, telecommunications, recreation and mineral extraction. The map was produced in the early 1990s by a forerunner of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, at Monks Wood. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/4e3fe599-1ae9-4dbb-9476-bfc74fe90b4e

This dataset consists of soil physico-chemical properties (pH and loss on ignition) from soils sampled across Great Britain in 1978. The Countryside Survey is a unique study or 'audit' of the natural resources of the UK's countryside. The sample sites are chosen from a stratified random sample, based on a 15 by 15 km grid of GB. Surveys have been carried out in 1978, 1984, 1990, 1998 and 2007 by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, with repeated visits to the majority of squares. The countryside is sampled and surveyed using rigorous scientific methods, allowing us to compare new results with those from previous surveys. In this way we can detect the gradual and subtle changes that occur in the UK's countryside over time. In addition to soil data, habitat areas, vegetation species data, linear habitat data, and freshwater habitat data are also gathered by Countryside Survey. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/85c71959-0f7c-4f04-b3a7-152673107a85

This dataset comprises linear and areal habitat information and vegetation species recorded during an ecological survey of stratified random 1km square sites across England in 1992 and 1993. The survey was carried out by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (which later became part of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH)) and was commissioned in order to carry out survey work into habitats which were perceived to be under threat or which represented areas of concern to the Department for the Environment (named as 'Key Habitats'). The habitats (or landscape types) in question were: Lowland heaths, chalk and limestone grasslands, coasts and uplands. The survey was designed to complement CEH's national ecological survey, the 'Countryside Survey'. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/7aefe6aa-0760-4b6d-9473-fad8b960abd4

This data set comprises plant species, habitat and land cover types, and major biota present, collected during an ecological survey of marginal uplands in the English county of Cumbria, using standardised survey methods. The survey was undertaken by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (a forerunner of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) in 1978 within a stratified random set of sites. In total, up to 262 plots were surveyed from within 52 x 1km squares. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/a4f2d52b-1515-434e-bfc3-83b3a53be1c5

This dataset consists of plant species presence and abundance in different sizes and types of plots from 256 1km x 1km square sites surveyed across Great Britain in 1978. Many of the plots were repeated in 1990, 1998 and 2007. General information about the plot was recorded including plot number and type as well as species presence and (usually) cover. Data were collected under the Countryside Survey long term monitoring project managed by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/67bbfabb-d981-4ced-b7e7-225205de9c96