VEGETATION BIODIVERSITY AND LAND COVER DATA
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2002_TM7_BAND583.IMG
(RASTER) Erdas Imagine format Landsat 7 ETM+ 30 meter resolution
composite image using band 5 for red, 8 for green, and 3 for blue.
The original
Landsat image was taken in July of 2002 and provided in GeoTIF
format by the US Geological Survey and the CalView project at: http://gis.ca.gov/
meta.epl?oid=5734.
(METADATA1)
(METADATA2)
BLODGET_COMP
Basic vegetation cover, management practices, and habitat information
for the University of California Berkley's Blodgett
Forest Research Station last updated in the 1990's by the
Blodgett Forest Research Station at an unknown scale. A subset of the
compartments was used to conduct a limited accuracy assessment of
the SP_FORESTLAND potential
productive forestland results. (METADATA1)
CA0400NLCD
(RASTER) Land cover with 22 possible land cover classes last updated
in 2000 by a consortium of federal agencies at a resolution of
30 meters. The original images for California were acquired from
1987 through
1993. Data set abstract: This land cover data set was produced
as part of a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS)
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to produce
a consistent, land cover data layer for the conterminous U.S. based
on 30-meter Landsat
thematic mapper (TM) data. National Land Cover Data (NLCD) was
developed from TM data acquired by the Multi-resoultion Land Characterization
(MRLC) Consortium. The MRLC Consortium is a partnership of federal
agencies that produce or use land cover data. Partners include
the
USGS (National Mapping, Biological Resources, and Water Resources
Divisions), USEPA, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric
Administration.
(METADATA1)
(METADATA2)
(METADATA3)
DIGITAL ORTHOPHOTOGRAPHS
(RASTER) Geometrically and orthographically corrected, one meter
resolution, gray scale, digital photographs (DOQQ) are available
for the study
area. The extent of each DOQQ is one-quarter of a USGS 7.5 minute
topographic quadrangle. The study area requires 604 individual DOQQs
to cover the
entire area with only three of the DOQQs not available. The DOQQs
were taken in four different years with 96 images taken in 1993,
30 images
taken in 1994, 439 images taken in 1998, and 38 images taken in
1999. The images are provided in GeoTIF and Mr. Sid formats by the
California
Spatial Information Library at: http://gis.ca.gov/meta.epl?oid=21015.
(METADATA1)
(METADATA2)
FRAP_DEVELOP
(RASTER)
Development footprint derived from housing density and land cover data
last updated in 2000 by the California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection, Fire and Resource Assessment Program at a scale of 1:100,000
and a resolution of 100 meters. Data set abstract: This data layer
is an attempt to spatially define the "footprint of development",
which includes both residential and commercial development. FRAP
has thoroughly analyzed various data layers to determine the preferred
method for capturing development, especially the difficult task
of
identifying commercial development. Data sources include 2000 Census
block data for housing, 2000 land ownership data for identifying
uninhabited public lands, 1990's USGS National Landcover Data,
and 2000 Census
Urbanized Area data. The data include fields related specifically
to identifying the Wildland Urban Interface for fire protection
applications.
(METADATA1)
FRAP_VEG_CNG1
Causes
of vegetation change from 1990 to 1998, version 1, last updated in
2002 by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection,
Fire and Resource Assessment Program at a minimum mapping unit of 1
hectare. Data set abstract: Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite
imagery is used to locate magnitudes of vegetation change within five-year
time periods across all vegetation types and ownerships. The "change
image", also available on-line, depicts increases and decreases
in vegetative cover over 5 year periods for 4 different project
areas in California. The exact dates of TM imagery are contained
in a supplementary
Arc/Info regions coverage (also on-line). This record relates to
an ArcInfo coverage of change polygons derived from the change
image,
attributed by cause of vegetation change. Cause is assigned using
fire perimeter data, USFS harvest/plantation data, and fieldwork.
The California
Land Cover Mapping & Monitoring Program (LCMMP) is a collaborative
effort of the USDA Forest Service and CDF to map and assess changes
in California's vegetation. This effort provides monitoring data
for regional assessment across ownerships and vegetation types.
We also
identify the cause of changes using current fire perimeter data,
USFS harvest/plantation data and fieldwork. By revisiting each
project area
on a five year schedule, it is possible to detect trends and conversion
rates of vegetation.
(METADATA1)
FRAP_VEG_V2
(RASTER) Multi-source vegetation landcover last updated in 2002 by
the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Fire and
Resource Assessment Program at a resolution of 100 meters. This data
set looks more spatially detailed then the SNEP or GAP vegetation data
sets, but the GAP data set has many more attributes. Data set abstract:
CDF-FRAP compiled the "best available" land cover data
into a single data layer, to support the various analyses required
for the
2002 Forest and Range Assessment. Typically the most current and
detailed data were collected for various regions of the state or
for unique
mapping efforts (farmland, wetlands, riparian vegetation). Decision
rules were developed that controlled which layers were given priority
in areas of overlap. Cross-walks were used to compile the various
sources into the common California Wildlife Habitat Relationships
(CWHR) system
classification. Data sources had unique scale/resolution, multi-source
data provided as 100m GRID. The original 1/2002 data used to support
the Assessment is also available from the FRAP site - this record
corresponds to the most recent updated version of the data (10/2002),
which incorporates
better data for the Mojave & NE Colorado Desert areas.
(METADATA1)
FRAPX_SITECLS
THESE ARE RESTRICTED DATA SETS WE RECEIVED FROM SHAWN
SAVING AND THE DATA MUST NOT BE REDISTRIBUTED. Forest site class
information last updated
using 1991 through 1994 inventory data
by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection,
Fire and Resource Assessment Program at a minimum mapping unit of
about 6,000 acre hexagons. Data set abstract: This coverage contains
the new annual 6000 acre hexes based on spatial
overlay of the 1991-1994 California inventory on off-National Forest
lands only. The attributes of interest are the last three: MAXSC,
MINSC and AVGSC for maximum, minimum and average site class. Because
the old grid was irregular
and not as intense as the new annual hex grid, some hexes have no
old plots in them (about 20%), and others have more than one, hence
the stats min, max and
avg. Note also that site class is a condition class variable (as
opposed to a plot variable), so when there is more than one condition
class, some conditions (non-forest or chaparral) will have no defined
site class, or are assigned site class 7, for non-timber. In these
instances, the value of site class for the condition that is timber
overrides all other values. Many of the plots in California are non-timber,
so no site class is estimated (e.g., oak woodland, chaparral and
other non-forest types). (METADATA1)
FS_CHNG85_91
(RASTER) Vegetation cover (not type) change from 1985 to 1991 last
updated in 2000 by the US Forest Service, Region 5 at a resolution
of 30 meters. Data set abstract: This grid contains vegetative
cover change detection data for the Sierra Nevada Range from the
mid 1980s
to the mid 1990s. The deliverable is a mid-1980s to mid-1990s change
layer created by employing image differencing techniques between
two dates of Landsat TM imagery. Pacific Meridian Resources used
date 1
TM imagery (1990-1991, UTM 10,11) and co-registered USGS 1985 TM
imagery (UTM 10,11) to perform image differencing.
(METADATA1)
FS_CHNG91_96
Vegetation cover (not type) change from 1991 to 1996 last updated
in 2000 by the US Forest Service, Region 5 at a resolution of 30
meters.
This version of change data has more change categories then the
1985 to 1991 version. Data set abstract: This grid contains vegetative
cover
change detection data for the central Sierra Nevada Range from
the early 1990s to the mid 1990s. The deliverable is a early 1990s
to mid-1990s
change layer created by employing image differencing techniques
between two dates of Landsat TM imagery.
(METADATA1)
FS_CUT_PLAN
Timber sales and harvest information last updated in 2000 by the
US Forest Service, Region 5 at a scale of 1:24,000. Data set abstract:
None.
(METADATA1)
FS_MEADOWAREA
Areas with meadow vegetation last updated in 1998 by the US Forest
Service, Region 5 at a scale of 1:24,000. Data set abstract: This
coverage contains polygon features of Meadow Vegetation. This data
was developed by the USDA Forest Service for use in the
Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment Environmental Impact Statement. (METADATA1)
FS_NONFSTZONE
Forest and non-forest zones last updated in 1994 by the US Forest
Service, Region 5 at a scale of 1:24,000 with a minimum mapping area
of 0.4
ha and minimum mapping width of 35 meters. Data set abstract: The
purpose of delineating the nonforest zone is to determine the area
of responsibility
for inventory as prescribed by the Congress of the United States
of America. The objective is to provide the resource data needed
to develop
economically and silviculturally sound timber management plans.
Nonforest is land not qualifying as forest land. Includes land that
has never
supported forest growth and land once forest land but now developed
for nonforest use such as crops, pasture, residential areas, highways,
airstrips, etc. Areas of water less than 16 hectares in size or
less than 200 meters in width will also be classified as nonforest.
Census
water, areas of water larger than 10 percent stocking is equated
with 10 percent crown cover or 10 percent of yield table values.
A tree
is defined as a woody plant that at maturity commonly has a total
height of at least 4 meters. Ag. Handbook No.541. Minimum area is
.4 ha and
minimum width is 35 m.
(METADATA1)
FS_OLDFOREST
Old forest emphasis areas last updated in 2001 by the US Forest Service,
Region 5 at a scale of 1:24,000. Data set abstract: This coverage contains
polygon features of Old Forest Emphasis Areas for the Preferred Alternative
(Alternative 8 - Modified), Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment EIS.
The final Old Forest Emphasis Areas used in the preferred alternative
-Mod8 is a hybrid of Alternative 6 and 8 old forest emphasis areas.
For the westside of the Sierras Alternative 8 old forest emphasis areas
was used and for the eastside of the Sierras - Alternative 6 old forest
emphasis areas was used. This hybrid evolved due to the old forest
emphasis areas being seen as a necessary component of the California
Spotted Owl strategy. The larger allocation delineated by Alternative
8 was seen as essential to that strategy and the westside of the Sierras
encompassed the majority of California Spotted Owl activity centers.
On the eastside of the Sierras the Alternative 6 old forest emphasis
areas was sufficient. The approach used was the same for all of the
alternatives with old forest. The overall objectives were to: (a) encompass
areas with the greatest existing concentrations of old forest (Franklin
et al. 1997) at the landscape level, and (b) delineate blocks large
enough to allow for wide-scale ecosystem processes to occur (Franklin
et al. 1997, Barrett and Barrett 1997, Murphy and Noon 1992). For alternatives
3 and 6, the objectives included: encompassing the best remaining landscape
concentrations, provide for larger enough blocks to remain functional
following a large wildfire and provide for some of the subpopulations
of owls and forest carnivores. For alternatives 5, 8 and the preferred,
the objectives were the same as for alternatives 3 and 6 but with
the additional objective of providing sufficient area for most
subpopulations
of owls and forest carnivores.
(METADATA1)
FS_PLANTATION
Plantation areas last updated in 1997 by the US Forest Service,
Region 5 at a scale of 1:24,000. Data set abstract: The purpose of
the plantation
layer is to track forest areas that have been reforested due to
past harvest or other stand replacement events such as wildfire and
insect
damage caused mortality. This layer is a key activity layer for
updating existing vegetation maps. The mapped stands are used to
identify age
classes of young forests for both assigning average tree sizes
for seedling and saplings in existing vegetation maps, and as age
class
groups for forest-wide inventory strata populations. For areas
that have been planted, a date of stand origin is recorded. If the
area
has been deforested and not planted yet, a non-stocked is recorded.
Reforestation harvests of shelterwood and overstory removals are
also tracked in this layer. For each Forest, Ranger District personnel
were
asked to map historical plantation areas and assign origin dates.
* Scale of Capture: 1:24,000
* Coverage Name: PNTN
* Coverage Type: Polygon
* Access Constraints: none
(METADATA1)
FS_SEQUOIA
Giant Sequoia groves last updated in 2001 by the US Forest Service,
Region 5 at a scale of 1:24,000. Data set abstract: This coverage
contains polygon features of Meadow Vegetation. This data was developed
by the
USDA Forest Service for use in the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment
Environmental Impact Statement.
(METADATA1)
FS_TIMBERDATA
(RASTER) Site indices for potential tree growth, vegetative cover,
timber volume, timber value, and live tree biomass last updated
in 2002 by the US Forest Service, Region 5 at a resolution of 30
meters.
Data set abstract: This grid represents an enumeration of all possible
vegetation strata for National Forests in Region 5. By linking
to an associated data table (R5STRA02_1G.dat), displays of timber
volume,
timber value, and live tree biomass are possible. For more information
about this layer and using the associated data, go to http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/rsl/projects/
frdb/layers/stra.html. The Vegetation Inventory Strata map is a
derived layer from two main sources, the latest Existing Vegetation
map and
vegetation inventories. Strata represent subpopulations of sample
plots, grouped by vegetation map labels to reduce the statistical
variance
of estimates. The strata map provides a means of extrapolating
per-acre resource values obtained from inventory plot data to an
entire National
Forest.
(METADATA1)
(METADATA2)
FS_TREE_MORT
Tree mortality, defoliation, and other damage last updated in 2003
by the US Forest Service, Region 5 at a scale of 1:100,000. Data
set abstract: This layer consists of polygons representing conifer
and
hardwood damage as mapped during aerial surveys. Damage is labeled
according to level of severity, pest agent or other environmental
influence. Current mortality is sketch mapped by an aerial observer
and is defined
by red to reddish brown trees; defoliation is defined by loss of
foliage. Observations are stratified by 1) percent mortality, defoliation
or
other damage type and 2) vegetation type as defined below. Polygons
are drawn on the sketch map and labeled appropriately.
(METADATA1)
FS_VEG_1934
Historical vegetation from 1934 last updated in 1998 by the US
Forest Service, Region 5 at a scale of 1:500,000. Data set abstract:
This
coverage contains polygon features of Historical California Vegetation.
This data was developed for use in land analysis and map making
within the boundaries of Region 5. Source for data capture was a
1934 paper
map drafted by the California Forest Experiment Station, Giannini
Foundation, College of Agriculture, University of California. Vegetation
polygons
were drawn on USGS State of California map compiled in 1929 by
A.F. Hassan. Scale of the source map is 1:500,000. The source map
was North
American datum 1929.
(METADATA1)
FS_VEG_1945
Historical forest area, timber volume, & vegetation type from "1945
Wieslander California Vegetation Type" last updated in 1997
by the US Forest Service, Region 5 at an unknown scale. Data set
abstract:
This coverage represents the old growth as of 1945. The associated
publication is Forest Areas, Timber Volumes, and Vegetation Types
in California, March 1, 1946, A. E. Weislander and Herbert A. Jensen,
California Forest and Range Experiment Station, Stephen N. Wycoff,
Director, Berkeley, CA. This coverage is a 1945 digitized hardcopy
map of old growth that existed at that time. LUTs were made of
codes
from Growth, SPP, and Cover. These LUTs were joined into the pat.
These types were taken from a hardcopy map delivered at the same
time as
the coverages. The source date is Jan. 1, 1945. Timber is a concatenation
of the 3 mentioned codes. Cover is only on growth with a value
of 4, which is poorly stocked or unstocked and has reverted to
non-timber
vegetation.
(METADATA1)
FS_VEG_1977
Historical vegetation from 1977 last updated in 1996 by the US
Forest Service, Region 5 at a scale of 1:250,000. Data set abstract:
The source
mapping was done between 1979 and 1981 by U. S. Forest Service
ecologists. The mapping process involved photo-interpretation of
1:250,000 scale
color infra-red prints of Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) imagery
acquired between 1977 and 1979. The average polygon size is 38,000
acres for the entire state (excluding polygons along map edges).
Consequently, many important vegetation communities that occur in
smaller units are
not distinguished. The California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection created the digital 'VEG' coverage by scanning the source
maps.
(METADATA1)
FS_VEG_2000
(VECTOR and RASTER) Existing vegetation for the Eldorado and Tahoe
National Forests and the Lake Tahoe Management Unit last updated
in 2000 by the US Forest Service, Region 5 at a minimum mapping unit
of
2.5 acres. Vegetation types, size classes, and densities are
included using both USFS and CA WHR measurement systems. For more
details about the CA WHR system values, please see the document contained
in the METADATA4 link. Data set abstract: This coverage
contains polygon features of existing vegetation.
Forest
extent existing
vegetation
coverages
are derived from the coincident eveg tiles contained within the
Regional data library. The mapping of existing vegetation on National
Forest
land is done to provide information for strategic-level planning
at the National, Regional and Forest levels. Minimum mapping size
is 2.5
acres for contrasting vegetation conditions based on vegetation
type, tree canopy closure, and overstory tree size (see tables 38,
40, and
39). No minimum mapping unit for lakes and conifer plantations
(METADATA1)
(METADATA2)
(METADATA3)
(METADATA4)
FSTLAND_VALID
The SP_FORESTLAND data set
clipped to the extent of the SP_BLOD_VALID data
set. The FSTLAND_VALID data set was used for the accuracy assessment
of the SP_FORESTLAND results.
GAP_VEG98
Vegetation and land cover last updated in 1998 by the Biogeography
Lab, University of California, Santa Barbara, California Gap Analysis
Program at a minimum mapping unit of 100 hectares (247 acres) for
upland community types and 40 hectares (99 acres) for wetland communities.
This data set looks less spatially detailed then Legacy Project
(LP)
vegetation data sets and is about 5 years older, but the GAP data
set has many more attributes. Data set abstract: This layer is the
land-cover/land
use data compiled for the California Gap Analysis Project. It contains
vegetation attributes for landscape scale map units, including
canopy dominant species, canopy density, presence of regional endemic
species,
and inclusion of wetland habitats. Although polygons are classified
into several schema (California Natural Diversity Data Base or "Holland" system,
California Wildlife Habitat Relationships habitat types), data
on presence of dominant canopy species are provided to allow customized
classifications
to meet a user's needs.
(METADATA1)
KUCHLERVEG
Potential vegetation at a scale of 1:1,000,000 for California derived
from a map created by Kuchler in 1976. Original data set was obtained
from the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project web site (http://www.ice.ucdavis.edu/snep/dataset.asp?
dataset=403) and was called “kuchler.e00.gz.” The attribute
values for this data set include common and scientific vegetation
cover name and the data should be useable.
(METADATA1)
(METADATA2)
(METADATA3)
LANDSAT 7
IMAGES
(RASTER) Landsat 7 30 meter resolution images
for monochromatic bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Low Gain, 6 High Gain,
7, and
8 as well as composite bands 321 (true color) and 547 (false
color) are available. Images are available for both July of 2001
and July
of 2002 and provided in GeoTIF format by the US Geological Survey
and the CalView project at: http://gis.ca.gov/meta.epl?oid=5734.
(METADATA1)
(METADATA2)
LP_GENPLANS
Standardized land use created from county and city general plans
last updated in April 2004 by the California Resources Agency Legacy
Project and the University of California Davis at an unknown scale.
Data set abstract: We undertook creating the first ever seamless
statewide General Plan map for California. All county general plans
and many city general plans were integrated into 1 statewide Geographic
Information System (GIS) dataset. The data was then standardized
to thirteen consistent land use classifications for the intent of
natural resource and infrastructure planning. The dataset is a scenario
of landuse more adequately representing current residential and rural
residential growth. (METADATA1)
(METADATA2)
(METADATA3)
LULC_SW
Land use and land cover based on parcel boundaries at an unknown scale
for the southwestern portion of the central Sierra Nevada ecoregion
from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. Original data set
was obtained from the web site http://www.sacog.org.
Data set abstract: This file is a compilation of land uses compiled
from general, specific and community plans of all cities and counties
in the region. Each jurisdiction's land use codes have been generalized
into categories which could be used across the region. Data is attributed
at the parcel level and includes, among other fields, Plan Name, Generalized
Land Use Code and Acres. The attribute values for this data set are
not explained and do not have many obvious meaning. There was no metadata
for this data set.
SBI_OLDFST
Late successional old growth forest identified by the Sierra Biodiversity
Institute using 1990 imagery. (METADATA1)
SNEP_LATE_SUCCESSION_OLD_GROWTH
Late successional old growth polygons last
updated in 1996 by the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project. This is a
database table and not a spatial data set. These attributes have
been attached to the SNEP_OLDFST data set. There are a set of attributes
(Patch_1, Prank_1, Pdist_1_1, Pdist_1_2, Pdist_1_3, Pdist_1_4,
Per_poly_1, Tree_ac_1, Tree_dec_1, Lg_dbh_1, Int_can_1, Snag_1, Sc_low_1,
Sc_high_1, Dom_spp_1, and Closure_1) that are repeated for up to
seven patches for each late successional polygon. Original database
was
called “lsog_final.e00.gz.” Data
set abstract: The attribute database that describes these layers
is a stand alone ARC/INFO info file named lsog_final. It can be linked
to the coverages
by the join item poly_id. In some areas the intermix of private and
public land was too complex for the resource experts to accurately
exclude the private land in their hand drawn polygons. However, the
data recorded for the polygon is only applicable to the public land.
Therefore, to accurately use this layer the GIS analyst must use
the administrative boundaries (i.e. the administrative boundary for
the Plumas National Forest) to exclude any private land from area
calculations or maps. Otherwise any acreage estimates or maps would
be inaccurate because the database does not include information about
private land within the polygon. (METADATA1)
SNEP_LATE_SUCCESSIONAL_EMPHASIS
Areas of late successional emphasis (ALSEs) polygon ID list last
updated in 1996 by the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project.
This is a database table and not a spatial data set and the values
from this table have been added to the SNEP_OLDFST data set as
the ALSE item. Original database was called “alse_info.e00.gz.” Data
set abstract: ALSEs are made up of multiple late-successional
old growth (LSOG) polygons on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada.
The is
an info file of all of the LSOG polygons. This is a binary file,
so for the item ALSE, 1 = ALSE and 0 = not an ALSE. The purpose
of these
areas is to maintain concentrations of high-quality late-successional
forest function. They were identified by using existing high-ranked
polygons (4s and 5s) as cores. This approach incorporates both
reserves and areas managed intensively to reduce the potential
for catastrophic
fire. Purpose is to identify late-successional (LSOG) polygons
which make up the Areas of Late Successional Emphasis (ALSEs).
(METADATA1)
SNEP_OLDFST
Late successional old growth (LSOG) polygons and areas of late
successional emphasis (ALSE) last updated in 1996 by the Sierra Nevada
Ecosystem
Project
at a
scale of
1:24,000 to 1:126,720. Data set was obtained from the Remote Sensing
Lab, Region 5, USDA Forest Service.
Explanations for the sub-polygon data (all of the attributes past
the ALSE and RANK attributes) can be found through the METADATA2
link. Data set abstract: This coverage
contains the mapping and characterization of late-successional forest
attributes for the National Forests,
State Parks, National Parks, and Bureau of Land Management land in
the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project Study area. The data do not include
information about private land. The mapping was originally done by
agency resource experts with guidance from the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem
Project Late-Successional Work Group. This coverage contains ecological
attributes for landscape map units including rank based on the polygon's
level of late-successional forest attributes. Each polygon is subdivided
into no more than 7 subpolygons or patches. Each patch is classified
as a percentage of the larger polygon and described by ecological
attributes. Each patch is not geographically described on this layer.
The attribute database that describes these layers is a stand alone
ARC/INFO info file named lsog_final. It can be linked to the coverages
by the join item poly_id. In some areas the intermix of private and
public land was too complex for the resource experts to accurately
exclude the private land in their hand drawn polygons. However, the
data recorded for the polygon is only applicable to the public land.
Therefore, to accurately use this layer the GIS analyst must use
the administrative boundaries (i.e. the administrative boundary for
the Plumas National Forest) to exclude any private land from area
calculations or maps. Otherwise any acreage estimates or maps would
be inaccurate because the database does not include information about
private land within the polygon. (METADATA1)
(METADATA2)
SNEP_SEQUOIA
Giant Sequoia groves last updated in 1996 by the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem
Project at an unknown scale. Original data set was called “comgs_total.e00.gz.” Data
set abstract: One of the tasks of the Mediated Settlement Agreement
/ Giant Sequoia (MSA/GS) Workgroup has been to compile an ARC/INFO
coverage for all giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron gigantea) groves
in the Sierra Nevada. Giant sequoia groves are managed by a minimum
of
twelve different public and private agencies. This has resulted
in substantial difficulty in the compilation of the coverage and
in wide
variation in the methodologies employed in the mapping process.
It is extremely important that the user of the database understand
that
the coverage is the product of splicing together hard copy and
digital information on giant sequoia grove boundaries collected
from a variety
of sources. In addition to recognizing the different methodologies
employed, it is also important to note that the mapping has been
undertaken with different objectives. Some of the boundaries were
intended to
represent a line drawn around the outermost trees in a grove, while
some included buffer zones for administrative purposes. Also, in
many cases, adherence to administrative boundaries is manifested
by unnaturally
straight or right angle delineations of grove boundaries. Lastly,
there is great dispute regarding what constitutes a giant sequoia
grove or
if the very concept of a grove is even useful from more than a
management perspective.
(METADATA1)
SNEP_TE_PLANT
Total number of rare plants by topographic quadrangle last updated
in 1995 by the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project at an unknown scale.
Original data set was called “shevock3.e00.gz.” Data
set abstract: Rare taxa were recorded to the topographic quadrangle
level
based on data from Skinner and Pavlik (1994). Data collected by
the California Native Plant Society after the publication in 1994
were
also incorporated. This layer is a visual representation of the
concentration and distribution of rare taxa ranging from one to
fifteen rare plants
per quadrangle. There are several areas throughout the Sierra Nevada
where concentrations or ensembles of rare and endemic species are
located. Quads with five or more rare plants generally represent
the presence
of an ensemble area. Many of these ensembles are located on unusual
substrates or soils, occur in areas with high plant species diversity,
or occur in uncommon habitats or vegetation types.
(METADATA1)
SNEP_VEG
Detailed vegetation cover from the California Department of Forestry
and Fire Protection last updated in 1995 by the Sierra Nevada Ecosystem
Project at an unknown scale. The CA_GAP_VEG98 data set is much more
spatially detailed, has more attribute information, and has detailed
metadata. Original data set was called “calveg_star.e00.gz.” Data
set abstract: Source for general vegetation information. Used for
general vegetation information in: Poff, Roger J. 1996. Effects
of Silvicultural
Practices and Wildfire on Productivity of Forest Soils. In Sierra
Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final Report to Congress, vol. II, chap.
16. Davis:
University of California, Centers for Water and Wildland Resources.
(METADATA1)
SPI_CUT_PLAN
Past timber harvest plans (THPs) for Sierra Pacific Industries land
in the northern portion of the study area last updated on March 15,
2004. Original data set was obtained from Jerry Bloom at "Jerry
Bloom" <luddite_2@sbcglobal.net>, or (530) 273-2080,
or (530) 265-9544. The attribute values for this data set include
harvest
name, harvest type, and harvest equipment used and the data should
be useable. There is metadata for this data set.
(METADATA1)
TNF_VEG_2000
Existing vegetation for the Tahoe National Forest last updated in
June 2000 by the Tahoe National Forest at a scale of 1:24,000. Data
set attributes
include USFS strata numbers for 2000 and 1980, California WHR numbers
for 2000, forest type, size class, density class, and seral
stage. The original
data set was obtained
from John Babin, Forest GIS Coordinator,
Nevada
City, CA, (530) 478-6218 and was called VEG_OWN00. Data set abstract:
This layer consists of the Timber Typing done for the Tahoe N.F.
It shows forested, non-forested and non-vegetated polygons as interpreted
from aerial photography. It is commonly acknowledged that the Tahoe's
1977 timber typing is one of the most reliable for predicting timber
types in the Region. Years of field use of this layer has proven
it to be "extremely" reliable in predicting vegetation
for all of it's attributes (tree species, size, stocking).
(METADATA1)
WIESLANDERVEG
Vegetation digitized from the "1945 Wieslander California Vegetation Type" map by the US Bureau of Reclamation at a scale of 1:1,000,000. Could potentially be used for vegetation change detection study. (METADATA1) (METADATA2)
