MassGIS Data: Land Use (1951-1999)

January 2002

This MassGIS Land Use datalayer contains polygons with 37 land use classifications interpreted from 1:25,000 aerial photography. Coverage is complete statewide for 1971, 1985, and 1999. Additionally, more than half the state was interpreted from aerial photography flown during 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995 or 1997. The 15 towns on Cape Cod also contain land use data for 1951.

Downloads

View Land Use in online map

Download Statewide Land Use Polygons (108 MB)
Shapefile and ArcGIS layer files for 21- and 37-class symbology

Download Statewide Historical Land Use Table
(self-extracting .zip containing the file LANDUSE_POLY_HISTORY.dbf, which stores the historical landuse codes for 1951, 1990, 1991 and 1997, where available; the resulting .dbf is 10 MB)

Download Statewide Land Use Status Layer
(polygon shapefile that stores the years of most recent photography used for land use interpretation)

Overview

Please see the Land Use Status Map, which displays the years for which land use data were interpreted for each town. In ArcSDE the layer is named LANDUSE_POLY.

The year of most recent photography used for land use data interpretation is stored in a single statewide polygon layer called LUSTAT_POLY. This layer was necessitated because some towns contain partial coverage for a certain year, which eliminated the one-to-one link between town-ID and year.

MassGIS has produced Land Use Summary Statistics, by municipality, for all three years for which land use is available statewide. These tables summarize acreage for each land use type by year, as well as land use change from 1971 to 1985 and 1985 to 1999.

Production

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Photointerpretation and automation were done by the Resource Mapping Project at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The RMP staff aggregated the 104 classes of their original 1971 interpretation into 21 categories and digitized the data into individual community digital coverages using a PC version of Arc/INFO software. The RMP staff then visually compared the 1971 photography and 1985 photography and produced a digital map of only 1971-85 change for each community. Interpretation was made from 1:40,000 9"x 9" color infrared photos flown in Summer 1985. Southeastern Mass was flown in September 1984. The flight and photography were funded by the Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Management for another project. Several additional categories of land use were added for parts of Massachusetts. Ten communities in the Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District (SRPEDD) west of Buzzards Bay plus Bourne and Falmouth have a total of 28 land use classes. The 28 classes include the original 21 categories plus 23,24,25,26,27,28 and 29 (see Code Definitions below).

In 1990, the Cape Cod Commission funded an update of Cape Cod. These data are categorized into 26 land use classifications, expanding the original codes to include 23,26,29 and 30. These additional codes, along with the original 21, are listed in LU37_CODE. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) funded land use interpretation in 1991 for 14 towns. The 33 code scheme for this update includes codes 23,24,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36 and 37 in addition to the original 21 codes. The Executive Office of Transportation and Construction (EOTC, now part of MassDOT Highway Division) also funded a 1991 update for 113 towns using the same set of codes as the MWRA except for code 37. The UMass RMP staff updated some other towns not included in the 1990-1991 update based on digital orthophotography flown during 1992, 1995, and 1997. The towns that have been updated between 1985 and 1999 are listed below. The minimum mapping unit used was one acre.

Each land use coverage was plotted at a scale of 1:25,000 by the RMP before delivery to MassGIS. MassGIS used a workstation version of Arc/INFO to combine data from different years. Each coverage, therefore, may have contained many small polygons that may have been one land use type in, say, 1971. Over the years the land may have been split up for different uses, and the linework in the current layer reflects the land use boundaries for all these uses during the many years of interpretation. The process of combining the data from different years created some 'sliver polygons'. These result when a theoretically coterminous line in each coverage is actually offset due to it having been digitized twice, e.g. the shore of a lake. Many of these slivers were eliminated by screening for an area/perimeter ratio beyond normal limits.

NOTE: This project was funded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA), the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and several regional planning agencies. Photointerpretation and digitizing were completed by the UMASS-Amherst Department of Forestry Resource Mapping Project (RMP).

In 1999, EOEA funded the acquisition of statewide 1:25,000 aerial color infrared photography for use in the latest round of land use interpretation. Again, photointerpretation and digitizing were completed by the UMASS Department of Forestry Resource Mapping Project. As part of the 1999 update RMP staff also removed slivers generated in earlier updates, fine-tuned edgematching between towns, and reinterpreted some historical land use codes.

The photography used for the land use interpretation were in hardcopy form only. They are currently housed at the UMass Amherst library as part of its aerial photo collection. Visit https://www.library.umass.edu/collections/maps/aerial-photo-collection/ for details.

The polygon data stores land use codes for 1971, 1985 and 1999. A "history table" stores codes only for years other than 1971, 1985 and 1999 (see the section Additional Land Use Interpretation).

Attributes

The layer's polygon attribute table contains the following items: 

Field name	Description
TILE_NAME	Town-ID (1-351, from Municipalities Layer)
LU_ID	Unique polygon ID for the town
LU21_1971	21-category landuse code for 1971
LU21_1985	21-category landuse code for 1985
LU37_1985	37-category landuse code for 1985
LU21_1999	21-category landuse code for 1999
LU37_1999	37-category landuse code for 1999
RELATEID	Item combining the TILE_NAME and LU_ID items, zero-filled so that the LU_ID portion of this item spans five digits. This item uniquely identifies each polygon within the state.
AREA_ACRES	Area of polygon in acres

For older land use codes (1951-1997, where interpreted), see the section Additional Land Use Interpretation.

Land Use Code Definitions

The land use code items (LU21_* and LU37_*) in the polygon attribute and history tables represent two classifications of land use. The 21-category classification aggregates the categories in the 37-category classification as follows:

CODE	ABBREV	CATEGORY	DEFINITION
1	AC	Cropland	Intensive agriculture
2	AP	Pasture	Extensive agriculture
3	F	Forest	Forest
4	FW	Wetland	Nonforested freshwater wetland
5	M	Mining	Sand; gravel & rock
6	O	Open Land	Abandoned agriculture; power lines; areas of no vegetation
7	RP	Participation Recreation	Golf; tennis; Playgrounds; skiing
8	RS	Spectator Recreation	Stadiums; racetracks; Fairgrounds; drive-ins
9	RW	Water Based Recreation	Beaches; marinas; Swimming pools
10	R0	Residential	Multi-family
11	R1	Residential	Smaller than 1/4 acre lots
12	R2	Residential	1/4 - 1/2 acre lots
13	R3	Residential	Larger than 1/2 acre lots
14	SW	Salt Wetland	Salt marsh
15	UC	Commercial	General urban; shopping center
16	UI	Industrial	Light & heavy industry
17	UO	Urban Open	Parks; cemeteries; public & institutional greenspace; also vacant undeveloped land
18	UT	Transportation	Airports; docks; divided highway; freight; storage; railroads
19	UW	Waste Disposal	Landfills; sewage lagoons
20	W	Water	Fresh water; coastal embayment
21	WP	Woody Perennial	Orchard; nursery; cranberry bog
22	-	No Change	Code used by MassGIS only during quality checking

The additional categories in the LU37_* fields are:

CODE	ABBREV	CATEGORY
23	CB	Cranberry bog (part of #21)
24	PL	Powerlines (part of #6)
25	RSB	Saltwater sandy beach (part of #9; no longer used)
26	RG	Golf (part of #7)
27	TSM	Tidal salt marshes (part of #14; no longer used)
28	ISM	Irregularly flooded salt marshes (part of #14; no longer used)
29	RM	Marina (part of #9)
30	-	New ocean (areas of accretion; part of #20)
31	UP	Urban public (part of #17)
32	TF	Transportation facilities (part of #18)
33	H	Heath (part of #17)
34	CM	Cemeteries (part of #17)
35	OR	Orchard (part of #21)
36	N	Nursery (part of #21)
37	-	Forested wetland (part of #3; no longer used)

All land use categories were aggregated from 104 categories originally defined in 1971. Further information on them can be obtained from Professor William MacConnell at the Dept. of Forestry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Additional Land Use Interpretation

In addition to the statewide land use codes for 1971, 1985, and 1999, some towns have had land use interpreted for other years (1951, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1997). To store these additional codes, a related "Polygon History table" (LANDUSE_POLY_HISTORY) was created. The RELATEID field joins this table to the polygons. (The history table does not contain data for 1992. To obtain this data please contact MassGIS).

Important note when joining to the historical land use tables: Users may need to define a query (e.g. a "definition query" in ArcMap) or select the history table records for a particular year and export the selected records to a new table, and then join the polygons to the subset of the table, for a one-to-one relationship between the tables for a single year.

The LANDUSE_POLY_HISTORY table contains the following items:

Field name	Description
TILE_NAME	Town-ID
LU_ID	Unique polygon ID for the town
LU21_CODE	21-category landuse code (for YEAR)
LU37_CODE	37-category landuse code (for YEAR); Code will be same as LU21_CODE for pre-1990 data (except 10 SRPEDD towns for 1985, as noted above).
YEAR	Date of historical data (Year of photography used in land use compilation - 1951, 1990, 1991, 1997)
RELATEID	Item combining the TILE_NAME and LU_ID items, zero-filled so that the LU_ID portion of this item spans five digits. This item uniquely identifies each polygon within the state.

The following towns have been updated by UMass-Amherst using orthophotography flown during the years listed in parentheses:

Town ID	Town Name	Year
4	ADAMS	1997
8	AMHERST	1997
11	ASHBURNHAM	1997
12	ASHBY	1997
13	ASHFIELD	1997
15	ATHOL	1997
29	BERNARDSTON	1997
47	BUCKLAND	1995
53	CHARLEMONT	1997
66	COLRAIN	1997
68	CONWAY	1997
74	DEERFIELD	1997
91	ERVING	1997
98	FLORIDA	1997
103	GARDNER	1997
106	GILL	1997
108	GOSHEN	1997
111	GRANBY	1997
114	GREENFIELD	1997
117	HADLEY	1997
127	HATFIELD	1997
129	HAWLEY	1997
130	HEATH	1997
140	HUBBARDSTON	1992,1997
154	LEVERETT	1997
156	LEYDEN	1997
190	MONROE	1997
192	MONTAGUE	1997
204	NEW SALEM	1992
209	NORTH ADAMS	1997
214	NORTHAMPTON	1997
217	NORTHFIELD	1997
223	ORANGE	1997
234	PETERSHAM	1992
235	PHILLIPSTON	1992,1997
237	PLAINFIELD	1997
253	ROWE	1997
255	ROYALSTON	1997
263	SAVOY	1997
268	SHELBURNE	1995,1997
279	SOUTHWICK	1997
289	SUNDERLAND	1997
294	TEMPLETON	1992,1997
312	WARWICK	1997
319	WENDELL	1992,1997
331	WESTHAMPTON	1997
332	WESTMINSTER	1992,1997
337	WHATELY	1997
340	WILLIAMSBURG	1997
341	WILLIAMSTOWN	1997
343	WINCHENDON	1997

UMass-Amherst also interpreted land use for 1951 for the 15 communities on Cape Cod:

Town ID	Town Name
20	BARNSTABLE
36	BOURNE
41	BREWSTER
55	CHATHAM
75	DENNIS
86	EASTHAM
96	FALMOUTH
126	HARWICH
172	MASHPEE
224	ORLEANS
242	PROVINCETOWN
261	SANDWICH
300	TRURO
318	WELLFLEET
351	YARMOUTH

The following is a list of town IDs and names for which 1990/1991 land use is available. The organization that completed the updates is listed in parentheses.

Town ID	Town Name	Organization
1	ABINGTON	EOTC
2	ACTON	EOTC
7	AMESBURY	EOTC
9	ANDOVER	EOTC
10	ARLINGTON	MWRA
14	ASHLAND	EOTC
16	ATTLEBORO	EOTC
18	AVON	EOTC
19	AYER	EOTC
20	BARNSTABLE	CAPE
23	BEDFORD	EOTC
25	BELLINGHAM	EOTC
26	BELMONT	MWRA
28	BERLIN	EOTC
30	BEVERLY	EOTC
31	BILLERICA	EOTC
32	BLACKSTONE	EOTC
34	BOLTON	EOTC
35	BOSTON	MWRA
36	BOURNE	CAPE
37	BOXBOROUGH	EOTC
38	BOXFORD	EOTC
40	BRAINTREE	EOTC
41	BREWSTER	CAPE
42	BRIDGEWATER	EOTC
44	BROCKTON	EOTC
46	BROOKLINE	MWRA
48	BURLINGTON	EOTC
49	CAMBRIDGE	MWRA
50	CANTON	EOTC
51	CARLISLE	EOTC
52	CARVER	EOTC
55	CHATHAM	CAPE
56	CHELMSFORD	EOTC
57	CHELSEA	MWRA
64	CLINTON	EOTC
65	COHASSET	EOTC
67	CONCORD	EOTC
71	DANVERS	EOTC
73	DEDHAM	EOTC
75	DENNIS	CAPE
78	DOVER	EOTC
79	DRACUT	EOTC
81	DUNSTABLE	EOTC
82	DUXBURY	EOTC
83	EAST BRIDGEWATER	EOTC
86	EASTHAM	CAPE
88	EASTON	EOTC
92	ESSEX	EOTC
93	EVERETT	MWRA
96	FALMOUTH	CAPE
99	FOXBOROUGH	EOTC
100	FRAMINGHAM	EOTC
101	FRANKLIN	EOTC
105	GEORGETOWN	EOTC
107	GLOUCESTER	EOTC
115	GROTON	EOTC
116	GROVELAND	EOTC
118	HALIFAX	EOTC
119	HAMILTON	EOTC
122	HANOVER	EOTC
123	HANSON	EOTC
125	HARVARD	EOTC
126	HARWICH	CAPE
128	HAVERHILL	EOTC
131	HINGHAM	EOTC
133	HOLBROOK	EOTC
136	HOLLISTON	EOTC
138	HOPEDALE	EOTC
139	HOPKINTON	EOTC
141	HUDSON	EOTC
142	HULL	EOTC
144	IPSWICH	EOTC
145	KINGSTON	EOTC
146	LAKEVILLE	EOTC
147	LANCASTER	EOTC
149	LAWRENCE	EOTC
155	LEXINGTON	EOTC
157	LINCOLN	EOTC
158	LITTLETON	EOTC
160	LOWELL	EOTC
163	LYNN	EOTC
164	LYNNFIELD	EOTC
165	MALDEN	EOTC
166	MANCHESTER	EOTC
167	MANSFIELD	EOTC
168	MARBLEHEAD	EOTC
170	MARLBOROUGH	EOTC
171	MARSHFIELD	EOTC
172	MASHPEE	CAPE
174	MAYNARD	EOTC
175	MEDFIELD	EOTC
176	MEDFORD	MWRA
177	MEDWAY	EOTC
178	MELROSE	EOTC
179	MENDON	EOTC
180	MERRIMAC	EOTC
181	METHUEN	EOTC
182	MIDDLEBOROUGH	EOTC
184	MIDDLETON	EOTC
185	MILFORD	EOTC
187	MILLIS	EOTC
188	MILLVILLE	EOTC
189	MILTON	EOTC
196	NAHANT	EOTC
198	NATICK	EOTC
199	NEEDHAM	EOTC
205	NEWBURY	EOTC
206	NEWBURYPORT	EOTC
207	NEWTON	EOTC
208	NORFOLK	EOTC
210	NORTH ANDOVER	EOTC
211	NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH	EOTC
213	NORTH READING	EOTC
215	NORTHBOROUGH	EOTC
216	NORTHBRIDGE	EOTC
218	NORTON	EOTC
219	NORWELL	EOTC
220	NORWOOD	EOTC
224	ORLEANS	CAPE
229	PEABODY	EOTC
231	PEMBROKE	EOTC
232	PEPPERELL	EOTC
238	PLAINVILLE	EOTC
239	PLYMOUTH	EOTC
240	PLYMPTON	EOTC
242	PROVINCETOWN	CAPE
243	QUINCY	EOTC
244	RANDOLPH	EOTC
245	RAYNHAM	EOTC
246	READING	EOTC
248	REVERE	EOTC
251	ROCKLAND	EOTC
252	ROCKPORT	EOTC
254	ROWLEY	EOTC
258	SALEM	EOTC
259	SALISBURY	EOTC
261	SANDWICH	CAPE
262	SAUGUS	EOTC
264	SCITUATE	EOTC
266	SHARON	EOTC
269	SHERBORN	EOTC
270	SHIRLEY	EOTC
274	SOMERVILLE	MWRA
277	SOUTHBOROUGH	EOTC
284	STONEHAM	MWRA
285	STOUGHTON	EOTC
286	STOW	EOTC
288	SUDBURY	EOTC
291	SWAMPSCOTT	EOTC
293	TAUNTON	EOTC
295	TEWKSBURY	EOTC
298	TOPSFIELD	EOTC
300	TRURO	CAPE
301	TYNGSBOROUGH	EOTC
303	UPTON	EOTC
304	UXBRIDGE	EOTC
305	WAKEFIELD	MWRA
307	WALPOLE	EOTC
308	WALTHAM	MWRA
314	WATERTOWN	EOTC
315	WAYLAND	EOTC
317	WELLESLEY	EOTC
318	WELLFLEET	CAPE
320	WENHAM	EOTC
322	WEST BRIDGEWATER	EOTC
324	WEST NEWBURY	EOTC
328	WESTBOROUGH	EOTC
330	WESTFORD	EOTC
333	WESTON	EOTC
335	WESTWOOD	EOTC
336	WEYMOUTH	EOTC
338	WHITMAN	EOTC
342	WILMINGTON	EOTC
344	WINCHESTER	MWRA
346	WINTHROP	EOTC
347	WOBURN	MWRA
350	WRENTHAM	EOTC
351	YARMOUTH	CAPE

Land Use Status

The polygon attribute table for the LUSTAT_POLY coverage contains the following items:

Field name	Description
TOWN-ID	Town-ID (1 - 351, from Municipalities Layer)
TOWN	Town name
ISLAND	1 = Island polygon (a coastal water area sealed off from the ocean)
SRC_CODE	Code of organization that funded a pre-1999 data update (EOTC, MWRA, Cape Cod Commission)
LUYEAR	Date of most recent data (all currently are 1999)
LU_YR_PREV	Date of most recent previous data

The Land Use Status Map displays the years for which land use data were interpreted.

Maintenance

MassGIS is maintaining this layer. Data available from MassGIS prior to March 31, 2005, used the old Land Use data model, in which only the most recent year was stored in the attribute table of the polygons, with older years' data in the history table. The current model stores the three years for which land use data are available statewide with the polygons, with the history table storing codes for years where interpretation was done only regionally.

MassGIS has produced Land Use Summary Statistics, by municipality, for all three years for which land use is available statewide. These tables summarize acreages for each land use type by year, as well as land use change from 1971 to 1985 and 1985 to 1999.

For newer land use data, see Land Use (2005).

Date published:	January 1, 2002
Last updated:	January 1, 2002