Events
BEYONG THE GLOBCOVER
The Bulgarian contribution to the elaboration of national land cover database, using the Globcover concept, as a way to transfer the global policy at local decision-making level.
Rationale
„Think globally, act locally“ – can be used as a moto of our concept, presented here. The idea to further expand the global land cover data at lower (regional, national, local) level, was discussed with experts from European Member States, USA, Russia, and others on workshops and conferences during the development of the „GlobCover“ ESA initiative, which began in 2005 in partnership with JRC, EEA, FAO, UNEP, GOFC-GOLD and IGBP. More information can be found on the ESA web-address: http://ionia1.esrin.esa.int .
Bulgaria was the first European country to implement the LCCS methodology on a large scale area, under a pilot project (TCP/BUL/8922) started in 1998, between the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Forest (MAF) and The Food and Agriculture Organization to the United Nations (FAO-UN) - more information can be found on: http://www.fao.org/sd/2001/EN0604_en.htm .
Four years ago we have proposed the creation of a reference land cover database, applying the FAO-UN Methodology – Land Cover Classification System (LCCS), and thus providing the bridge between the environmental policy at global level, and its implementation at national or regional level. LCCS was used as a base for the GlobCover project and hopefully will be part of the future Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).
The reference land cover database of Bulgaria is still under elaboration. However, first results can be seen on: REFERENCE LAND COVER DATA BASE OF BULGARIA 
.
A table 
with the general land cover classes showing the main idea of the integrated approach – it gives a possibility for more comprehensive analysis, when discussing global concepts and regional or local user needs.
The reference data base is open for different activities and projects, oriented towards the harmonization of geographical information in Bulgaria.
REFERENCE LAND COVER DATA BASE OF BULGARIA
The reference land cover data base of the Republic of Bulgaria is being created to serve as a basis for harmonization of other thematic spatial data bases according to the EU Directive 2007/02/ÅÎ-INSPIRE and in correspondence with a Decision of the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, as from December 2008, related to the European Programme for Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES). The reference land cover data base will be used also for verification and actualization of the information concerning the analysis of the actual status of the land cover in important fields such as urbanized territories, transport corridors, agriculture, nature environment – NATURA 2000, coastal areas, etc. It will be a key element in the establishment of a national operational capacity for risk management and security, as well as for the relevant services, oriented to the end-users.
The data base is developed by a large group of experts, mainly from the Remote Sensing Application Center (ReSAC), in cooperation with experts from other civil organizations and applied science institutions, jointly working for the establishment of national operational capacity, according to the requirements of different EU Directives and programmes in the field of sustainable development, risk and security. Consultations with experts from other EU member states, EC structures and international organizations have been carried out and will go on, during the different stages of elaboration of the task. The main beneficiary is the State Agency for Information Technology and Communications (currently Executive Agency in the frame of the Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications).
In this initial stage of elaboration of the reference land cover data base are used satellite images LANDSAT 5 with resolution 30 m from July and August 2009, which information capacity corresponds to a scale 1:50 000. For the land cover classification is used the LCCS v.2.4.5 (Land Cover Classification System) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN). This development is also in compliance with the international program for establishment of Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and the adopted Work Plan 2009-2011 of the Group on Earth Observation (GEO 2009-2011 WORK PLAN), Section DA-09-03: Global Data Sets /a) Global Land Cover (former DA-07-02).
Due to the dynamic changes that have taken place in Bulgaria, the necessity of faster realization of a number of infrastructure projects, the dynamics in the land property and environment protection and the urbanization of new territories, annual actualization of the reference land cover data base is recommended, at least during the next decade.
In separate areas of specific interest such as NATURA 2000 zones, important agriculture areas, landslide areas or quarries (open-pit mines), it is suggested to trace the land cover changes in different seasons.
In the upcoming months the reference data base will be tested, the eventual mistakes and missing elements will be adjusted, as well the different classes and their details will be additionally specified. Also, the current initial basic layer (with 30 m resolution) will be linked to more detailed layers referring for specific fields (with resolution 5 m and 1 m ).
The work will be additionally consulted with specialists from the Joint Research Center (JRC) of EC as well as with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN).
Currently in process of preparation is the technical description – metadata, corresponding to Directive 2007/02/ÅÎ. Immediately after the Bulgarian Parliament, adopts the presented proposal of an act for the spatial data base infrastructure, the technical procedure and the access to the data of the reference land cover data base will be defined and open for different users.
IMPORTANT – Action Plan for INSPIRE Directive (Spatial Data) implementation
On the 31st of January, 2008, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria has approved a proposal for a Program/Action Plan for INSPIRE Directive (spatial data) Implementation. The resolution is in coherence with the requirements under the Directive 2007/2/EC (INSPIRE).
The Agency for Sustainable Development and Eurointegration – EUROREGIONS (ASDE) has been involved in the whole process of development, assessment and coordination of the package of documents presented to the government for approval.
In cooperation with the other partners in the Interministerial working group, established with order from the Prime-minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, the ASDE will continue its participation in the implementation of the various tasks, defined in the Action Plan.
The approved Program/Action Plan may be found here:
Activities related to ASDE
For more information check the Working Group Bulgaria-Bavaria.
Other important events
ASDE is engaged with the development of a Spatial Database for the Trans-European transport corridors, across Bulgaria. More information is avalable on the official website of the
Bulgarian Spatial Data Infrastructure.