KLIS habitat survey data resources

There have been 3 countywide habitat surveys over 20 years. The results from these surveys have informed conservation and planning work across the region.

Kent Habitat Survey 1990

The first Kent Habitat Survey was undertaken between 1990 and 1994. This was a Phase 1 survey of all habitats, involving a large team of field surveyors who mapped the county’s habitats using paper maps, adding species data and habitat information in the form of target notes. The semi-natural habitats identified during this survey were then digitized and habitat areas calculated, enabling subsequent users to access the data easily.

Kent Habitat Survey 2003

This was undertaken between 1999 and 2002. The whole area was mapped using aerial photography interpretation (API) and geographic information systems (GIS) and was the first digital field survey for the county. To confirm the habitat identification from the aerial photographs, a small proportion of the total survey area was ground-truthed and these data used to refine the API process.

Kent Habitat Survey 2012

The ARCH project carried out an updated Kent Habitat Survey between 2010 and 2012 to update the data on the natural habitats of Kent, through a comprehensive study of Kent’s countryside and coastline and to contribute data for a joint map of natural and semi natural habitats of Kent.

Read the 2012 Kent Habitat Survey (PDF, 5.7 MB)

Land cover resources

Land cover 1961 and 1972

This provides information on the land cover in 1961 and 1972. The land cover data set is made up of a coarse grid of 1 hectare cells, where the centre point reflects the land cover.

Historic habitats 1990

Data demonstrating the change in the land cover within Kent between 1961 and 1999. It takes a broad look at the nature of the land surface and changes over the past decades. The data was obtained using a mixture of aerial photograph interpretation and field surveys.

Habitat Change 2003 to 2012

As part of the 2012 Kent Habitat Survey, an analysis of the change in habitats between 2003 and 2012 was carried out. The analysis was carried out for broad habitats in Kent, but could not be completed for UKBAP habitats due to significant differences in grassland classification, particularly neutral grasslands, between the different surveys. Full details can be found in the Change Analysis of UK BAP priority habitats 2003 - 2012 (PDF, 3.0 MB).

Priority Habitat 2012

BAP habitats are habitats which were recorded as meeting the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) definition to be classed as BAP Priority habitats.

Other Grasslands of Importance are grasslands which did not meet the JNCC definition to be classed as BAP priority habitat but with appropriate management are capable of being restored to BAP habitats.