Land Use Classifications
Explore how different land use types influence ecological benchmarks and indicator targets.
What are land use classifications?
Land use classifications describe how land is managed or utilised — for example, as cropland, grazing pasture, plantation forestry, or conservation areas. Different land uses create fundamentally different ecological conditions, which means benchmark values for the same indicator can vary significantly depending on how the land is used.
Understanding land use context is essential when interpreting benchmarks. A soil carbon benchmark for natural grassland will differ from one for intensive cropland, even in the same region and biome. Each land use card below shows the number of active benchmarks currently available.
Agricultural Crop Production
Land actively managed for the cultivation of annual and perennial crops and/or horticulture, using practices specifically designed to maintain or enha…
Aquaculture
Farming of aquatic organisms (fish, shellfish, algae, etc.) in freshwater or marine environments using methods that minimize negative impacts on surro…
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Land specifically designated and managed with the primary objective of conserving natural ecosystems, habitats, species, and ecological processes. Hum…
Industrial & Infrastructure Use
Land primarily occupied by heavy industrial activities (manufacturing, processing), energy production facilities, mining and extraction sites, large-s…
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Land used for raising livestock through grazing management that promotes the health and productivity of grasslands or pastures, prevents land degradat…
Production Forestry
Land under tree cover managed for the purpose of harvesting timber or other forest products, where management practices prioritize maintaining forest …
Urban & Developed Use
Land characterized by a high density of buildings and impervious surfaces, including residential areas (from low-density suburban to high-density urba…