Land Cover Shapefile Data???

[AvaFarouche]

Hi, all,

Does anyone remember using a National Land Cover Dataset in the form of a shapefile or layer, as opposed to an image file?  There are some gorgeous imagery layers for Land Cover now - but I can't query them. 

I used to have a shapefile layer for land cover, and I could separate out different categories, calculate areas, conduct queries to see how different categories intersect with other layers, etc.

I cannot find anything of the kind available anymore. Does anyone remember what I'm talking about or know where something like this is available now?

Thank you!!!

[Ed_]

Why not just add the NLCD raster from the Living Atlas to ArcGIS Pro and convert it to a polygon?

[AvaFarouche]

Because I didn't know that was possible. But it won't include field-specific info, will it? I'll try it.

[Ed_]

Yes it includes field specific info.

[Ed_]

This is what you need to add in Pro

Then use the tool `Raster to Polygon` and choose Land Cover under field if you are interested in land cover types/classes

[AvaFarouche]

Thanks, Ed! Well I tried it, and the shapefile just came up with one category. There's no field in the raster attribute table for Class, or Land Cover, which is what I need. It does show up in the Legend  or symbology for the raster, so it has to be there somewhere, but there's nothing like that in the raster attribute table, so there's no way for it to convert to usable info for the shapefile either. ?? 

Well, thanks for giving me the tip on conversion anyway, I'll see if I can figure something out that allows me to have usable attributes and fields.

[Ed_]

I don't know how you tried it here I have a sample converted polygon as shown below with different types of land cover types.

Here are the steps I followed to get a polygon NLCD for a specific area

1. Add the raster from the Living Atlas.

2. Right click on it and go to Data > Export Raster > under clipping geometry I selected the study area polygon.

3. Then use raster to polygon to convert the raster you get from step 2 it to a polygon feature class and select ClassName if you are interested in Land Cover Types.

You can then export it as a shapefile if need be

[AvaFarouche]

Ah ok .. Thank you!!!!! I tried just using the Raster to Polygon tool, I'll try the Export route. In any case, I appreciate you setting me on the right path!! I didn't know this was possible.

[Ed_]

No worries and good luck 👍 and if it works for you then kindly click on Accept as solution, cheers 🙂 

[AvaFarouche]

Arg! It won't allow me to export it to a large enough area to be useful for my project. : (  

I did find a place where I can download shapefiles by state so I guess I will have to resort to that. I've had trouble trying to cobble those kind of things together in the past because the symbology never matches up, but I'll give it a try.

Anyway, still appreciate your help and direction, there's a lot I don't know, that I don't know about!