Agricultural Land Classification detailed Post1988 survey ALCR05097

High Wycombe, Terrier & Grange Farms survey data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The dataset contains scanned original paper maps and survey reports for detailed site surveys conducted between 1989 and 1999, using the grading methodology from the 'Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales' guidelines. It includes soil data and pit descriptions for some surveys and is provided by the Government Digital Service with copyright held by Natural England and Ordnance Survey.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land quality based on the detailed grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze historical soil composition and characteristics based on the unedited sample point soils data and pit descriptions.
• Map land-use suitability for planning or conservation based on the geospatial survey maps at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000.
• Study the subdivision of Grade 3 agricultural land into subgrades 3a and 3b for precision agriculture assessments.

Strengths

• Original survey data from a government ministry (MAFF) collected between 1989 and 1999.
• Includes subdivision of Grade 3 land into subgrades 3a and 3b, providing finer detail.
• Contains both scanned maps (at scales from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000) and textual survey reports.

Limitations

• Row count, file formats, and column-level documentation are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Data may reflect temporal and geographic bias inherent to the specific survey sites and time period.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), provided via Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys with original paper maps and reports, later scanned.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Survey data is from 1989-1999; last update date for the dataset is unknown.

Geography

Specific survey sites in England and Wales, including High Wycombe, Terrier & Grange Farms.