EI PLATFORM RESOURCES

Landcover types

In the EI Platform Screening Module, users can break their sites into various landcover types to understand baseline performance. Then, by exchanging those with different landcover types and new interventions, users can explore the impact on site performance. For easy reference, the available landcover types are presented below with supporting definitions. Definitions

Note: The list of interventions in EI has been standardized across all biomes, globally. However, certain interventions may be difficult to sustain in a given biome, based on context. If interventions exceed Reference biome performance, be advised that additional inputs (e.g., supplemental watering) may be required to sustain a given solution. This may have ecological and cost ramifications and we encourage consultation with local ecological or landscape professionals during the design process.

Agriculture

  • Agricultural crops dominate these areas with assumptions aligned with industrial farming practices, including high levels of soil disturbance from compaction and/or tillage. Vegetation is primarily soft, green-stemmed and typically uniformly distributed without obvious planted rows. Traditional practices often result in degradation of ecological conditions, with soil and vegetation disturbance occurring across more than 90 percent of the area. 

    Other landcover types that may be similar or more appropriate include Row Crops or Resilient Agriculture. Please select the landcover type that best represents site conditions; remote imagery alone may be insufficient and site knowledge is recommended. 

  • Land used to produce fruits, nuts, flowers, hops, or similar crops. Vegetation is perennial and may consist of trees, bushes, or vines. Associated buildings, storage areas, access roads, and drainage features are excluded. 

  • Agricultural systems managed to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem benefits. These areas may resemble Agricultural Fields, Row Crops, or Orchards/Vineyards but differ in management practices. 

    Vegetation is typically shrub-dominant with average height exceeding three feet (0.9 m) and more than 10 species present. Soil and vegetation disturbance is low, with less than five percent bare area and more than 90 percent microtopography. 

    Other potentially similar landcover types include Row Crops, Orchard/Vineyard, or Agricultural Field. Select the classification that best reflects observed conditions. 

  • Agricultural crops planted in rows wide enough to allow tilling or cultivation by machinery. Vegetation often has shrub-like structure, greater exposed soil, and limited microtopography compared to non-row systems. Soil and vegetation disturbance is lower than in Agricultural Fields. 

    Other potentially similar landcover types include Agricultural Field or Resilient Agriculture. 

  • Typically upland areas dominated by native or non-native grasses and managed extensively, often through grazing. Shrub and tree cover are negligible, and extensive vegetation and soil disturbance is assumed. 

  • Gardening areas in developed settings where diverse vegetation or crops are grown for social and physical benefits. Soils are typically amended with organic materials, and vegetation includes edible, ornamental, and medicinal plants. High levels of soil and vegetation disturbance are assumed. 

Constructed Nature-Based Solutions or Materials

  • Roof systems composed of impermeable collection trays with gravel or cobble substrate designed to temporarily store stormwater and allow gradual release and evaporation. 

  • Roof systems composed of equal portions of Green Roof – Herbaceous Dominant and Blue Roof structures. 

    Green Roof components include permeable mats with growing medium supporting herbaceous vegetation and mimicking natural microtopography. Blue Roof components provide stormwater storage and slow release. 

    Alternative Blue-Green roof options include Shrub and Tree Dominant designs. If water retention is absent, refer to Green Roof landcover types. 

  • Roof systems composed of equal portions of Green Roof – Shrub Dominant and Blue Roof structures. Low-growing woody shrubs provide dominant vegetation. 

    Alternative Blue-Green roof options include Herbaceous and Tree Dominant designs. 

  • Roof systems composed of equal portions of Green Roof – Tree Dominant and Blue Roof structures, with trees as dominant vegetation. 

    Alternative Blue-Green roof options include Herbaceous and Shrub Dominant designs. 

  • Roof structures with permeable mats and growing medium supporting primarily herbaceous vegetation. 

    Alternative options include Shrub or Tree Dominant Green Roof types. 

  • Roof structures with permeable mats and growing medium supporting low-growing woody shrubs as dominant vegetation. 

  • Roof structures with permeable mats and growing medium supporting trees as dominant vegetation. 

  • Exterior walls partially or completely covered with vegetation planted in engineered soil media. 

  • Artificial embankments designed to promote infiltration of precipitation or surface water using pervious substrates and gentle slopes. 

  • Artificial embankments designed to reduce visual and noise impacts using structural mass combined with vegetative cover. 

  • Surfaces constructed with permeable asphalt for roads, storage areas, or trails. 

  • Surfaces constructed with permeable concrete for roads, storage areas, or trails. 

  • Gravel-covered surfaces that allow infiltration and may be used for roads, storage areas, or trails. 

  • Engineered retaining walls designed to support vegetation establishment on exposed faces. 

  • Parking areas using pervious materials and integrated vegetation, typically achieving 30 to 60 percent aerial vegetation cover. 

  • Bridge-like structures designed to facilitate wildlife movement over or through human activity areas while maintaining daylight access and habitat connectivity. 

Built Environment

  • Areas of exposed soil caused by anthropogenic activities, with vegetation typically covering less than 15 percent of the surface and high soil disturbance assumed. 

  • Roofed and/or walled structures built for permanent use. Buildings are impervious and do not contribute to natural screening functions. Vertical interventions such as Green Walls may be layered with Building survey units if applicable. 

  • Land degraded by human disturbance that may be transitioning between landcover types. These areas exhibit exposed or graded soils and early successional vegetation, often dominated by invasive species. 

  • Highly urbanized areas with dense structures and infrastructure. Impervious surfaces account for 80 to 100 percent of total cover. Used for rapid assessment of large, highly developed areas. 

  • Developed areas with less than 50 percent impervious surface coverage, typically including landscaping and green space. Common in low-density residential areas. 

  • Urbanized areas with moderate development density, where impervious surfaces cover 50 to 79 percent of the area and remaining space includes landscaping and green areas. 

  • A designed outdoor environment that mimics the open, serene qualities of a public park. It features expansive lawns, scattered large shade trees, and minimal clutter, creating a spacious, inviting, and recreational atmosphere. This is differentiated from the "Lawn/grass/turf" landcover type by the presence of a tree dominant overstory (i.e. predominate Lawn/grass/turf spaces would be mapped separately). 

  • Planted grass of uniform height. Usually planted in mats and maintained to uniform height of ≤3 in (7.6 cm) and density that is managed mainly for aesthetics or recreation activity (e.g. lawn, golf course, sports field, park, etc.). As this is a highly managed landcover type, soils are assumed to be amended toward a loamy composition, typically resulting in relatively high soil quality scores.

  • Ornamental garden planted primarily with nonnative species arranged for aesthetic purposes not necessarily to mimic natural functioning systems. Often found around homes, office parks, and in public rights of way, this landcover type typically includes a mixture of herbaceous, shrub and tree cover with managed loamy soils to promote vegetation growth.

  • A deliberately planted grouping (or stand) of trees, often in rows or clusters.  Understory vegetation (shrubs, saplings, herbaceous plants) is sparse or intentionally minimized. Ground layer may be bare soil, mulch/bark dust, or low-maintenance cover, rather than expansive lawn. 

  • Large artificial embankments engineered to protect land and property from flooding. Typically constructed of earthen materials and vegetated with herbaceous species. 

  • Areas covered with impervious materials such as asphalt or concrete. 

  • Pathways used for transportation or recreation constructed with permeable materials and accompanied by vegetation within the trail easement. Impervious trails should be classified as Paved Surface. 

    Ground layer may be bare soil, mulch/bark dust, or low-maintenance cover, rather than expansive lawn. 

Wet or Aquatic - Natural

  • Standing water bodies, naturally occurring or constructed to mimic natural systems, with generally imperceptible flow. 

  • Natural channels conveying flowing water, including creeks, streams, and rivers. 

  • Open water features not otherwise classified as lakes, ponds, or streams, with minimal vegetation. 

  • Areas where soils are periodically saturated but do not meet criteria for specific wetland types. 

  • Transitional wetland areas dominated by herbaceous vegetation. 

  • Transitional wetland areas dominated by tree vegetation. 

  • Transitional wetland areas dominated by shrub vegetation. 

Wet or Aquatic - Constructed

  • Man-made basins using layered soils and dense vegetation to capture, store, and slowly release stormwater. These systems contain permanently inundated water exceeding four feet (1.2 m). 

  • Linear features designed to convey and treat stormwater using vegetation and layered soils. Water presence is intermittent. 

  • Constructed channels designed to convey stormwater or excess water between locations, with limited vegetation. 

  • Artificial reservoirs, above or below ground, used to store water, typically rainwater. 

  • Man-made water bodies designed to temporarily or permanently store water using dams or levees. 

  • Floating vegetated systems installed on water surfaces to provide biological filtration. 

  • Constructed wetlands using impermeable liners to retain water for wastewater or stormwater treatment. 

Terrestrial - Natural

  • Areas dominated by shrubs greater than 6.5 feet (approximately 2 m) tall, with shrub canopy typically exceeding 20 percent of vegetation cover. Includes true shrubs, early successional trees, and environmentally stunted trees. 

  • Areas dominated by deciduous trees taller than 16.4 feet (5 m), accounting for more than 80 percent of vegetation cover. 

  • Areas dominated by evergreen trees taller than 16.4 feet (5 m), accounting for more than 80 percent of vegetation cover. 

  • Areas dominated by both evergreen and deciduous trees, with neither predominating, exceeding 80 percent vegetation cover.

  • A woodland landcover where the tree canopy is primarily composed of native or long-established species, but the understory vegetation layer is sparse or limited. This condition often arises due to canopy closure, soil conditions, or management practices (e.g. selective logging, grazing, or planting) that restrict the growth of shrubs, herbs, and young trees beneath the main canopy. 

  • Areas dominated by graminoid and herbaceous vegetation exceeding 80 percent cover and not subject to intensive management. 

  • Areas with 20 to 50 percent tree cover and an herbaceous-dominated understory.

  • Areas of land that are covered year-round by ice and/or snow. 

  • Areas of naturally exposed bedrock or unconsolidated materials with vegetation typically covering less than 15 percent of the surface. 

Terrestrial - Nature Based Restoration

  • Managed areas incorporating native herbaceous species arranged to mimic natural systems, with more than 10 species present. 

  • Managed areas incorporating native shrub species as dominant vegetation, arranged to resemble natural systems. 

  • Managed areas incorporating native tree species as dominant vegetation, arranged to mimic natural systems. 

  • Plantings designed to support pollinators through diverse vegetation structure and habitat features across life stages. 

  • Restoration areas targeting natural stabilization of stream banks using vegetation and structural elements.