NI Countryside Survey 2007 Aims

Last updated: 23 March 2010
 
  1. Conduct basic and applied research on the structure, distribution and dynamics of habitats at the landscape-scale, through a structured sampling approach to countryside survey. In particular, it will record and report on stock, condition and change of natural resources in the countryside including information on land cover and broad habitats.
  2. Investigate relationships between the ecological structure and species composition of habitats, the environment and land use variables.
  3. Assess change by comparison with previous surveys and improve our understanding of the processes of change in natural resources.
  4. Assess policy relevance.
  5. To structure data collection, collation and analysis to facilitate integration of NICS data with other data sources for further co-analysis.picture of parkland habitat
  6. To provide data analysis tools, access to the results, to allow a range of policy and science needs to be met.
  7. To increase the knowledge and understanding of NICS and thus provide increased sustainability for NICS in the longer term.

Methods will be largely the same as for previous surveys but with additional information recorded to take account of meeting biodiversity policy requirements notably;