Work

Quelles sources cartographiques pour la définition des usages anciens du sol en France ?

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: Delineating ancient woodlands, characterised as woodlands that have subsisted continuously for a long period, requires the use of maps. When such a study is undertaken over a large area, a comprehensive examination of all existing documentation is not feasible. A single cartographic collection should be chosen for the whole area. Two sources are clearly the most suitable in France: the Napoleonic Cadastre [Land Registry], and the Etat-Major [Ordnance Survey] maps, both of which were implemented at a date close to that of the French historical minimum forest area. The work presented here compares the two sources in order to evaluate their respective advantages and disadvantages not only for mapping ancient woodlands but also, more broadly, for establishing a comprehensive historical land-cover map, including forests, pastures, meadows, croplands, vineyards and built areas.

Source: Revue Forestière Française

DOI: 10.4267/2042/67866