Agricultural Land Classification: Detailed Site Surveys for England and Wales, 1989-1999

England and Wales site survey data from the Post 1988 Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) program. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps and survey reports for individual sites surveyed in detail between 1989 and 1999 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It uses the grading methodology from 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' and may include unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions for some surveys.

Use Cases

• Classifying agricultural land quality based on the Post 1988 ALC grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Mapping land capability for agriculture using the scanned original paper maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.
• Analyzing soil properties and characteristics based on the unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions available for some surveys.

Strengths

• Data uses the established grading methodology from the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' publication.
• Includes the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing more detailed classification.
• Contains original survey materials such as scanned maps and reports for individual sites.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Natural England.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted by government surveyors, with results recorded on paper maps and in reports.

Time Range

1989-1999

Freshness

Data collection occurred between 1989 and 1999; recency of updates is unknown.

Geography

England and Wales, specifically the Ibsley, Adlam's Plantation site in Hampshire.