USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program & Benthic Overview

USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping ProgramThe National Park Service

USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program & Benthic Overview

Karl E. Brown, Vegetation Mapping Program Mgr Natural Resource Program Center

Biological Resources Management Division

Benthic Habitat Mapping Workshop June 3-5, 2008


Outline and Overview BackgroundBackground

Approach, Process & ProductsApproach, Process & Products

Present Program StatusPresent Program Status

Hybrid TechniquesHybrid Techniques

Available Data / WebsiteAvailable Data / WebsiteSuggestions to the Benthic Habitat Suggestions to the Benthic Habitat Mapping EffortMapping Effort

USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Overview


What is it?

High priority requirement of the NPS

I&M Program

National (Service Wide) Program

Begins long term vegetation monitoring

program

Has many short term immediate

applications

Background


NPS I&M Program Base CartographicBase Cartographic

SoilsSoils

GeologyGeology

VegetationVegetation BibliographiesBibliographies

Species listsSpecies lists

Air qualityAir quality

Water quality Water quality

Background


National ProgramDiffers from other

NPS vegetation mapping projects

270 park units (full park coverage)4423 7.5 minute USGS quadrangles

National scopeParticipation of multiple agenciesConsistency in detail and accuracy between parksProduces digital products available on WWWCoordination at multiple levels

Background


StandardsNPS management policies, standards & guidelines

Federal Geographic Data Committee standardsmetadata, transfer, classification etc.

Nationally consistent, hierarchical, classification scheme

National Map Accuracy Standards

Thematic accuracy >80% per class

Scale of 1:24,000

Minimum mapping unit of 0.5 hectare

Background


Major Steps for each ParkMajor Steps for each ParkScoping meetingScoping meeting

Data review

Data acquisition

Field sampling

Classification characterization

Photo interpretation, mapping and automation

Accuracy assessment

Final product review

Data Issues


Products from the Program

Aerial photography/ imagery (hardcopy / digital, some new DOQQs)

Field data (hardcopy and database)

Classification report (Description and Key)

Photo interp report (Description and Key)

Accuracy report

Vegetation map data (digital coverage)

All appropriate metadata

Data Issues


FGDC National Vegetation FGDC National Vegetation Classification System 2006Classification System 2006

A. PHYSIOGNOMY

Division/Order - Tree Dominant (dominant life form)Class - Woodland (spacing & height of dominant form)Subclass - Evergreen Woodland (morphological & phenological similarity) Group - Temperate Evergreen Needle-leaved (climate, latitude, growth form, leaf form) Formation - Evergreen Needle-leaved Woodland with Rounded Crowns (mappable units)

B. FLORISTICSAlliance (Cover Type) - Douglas Fir Woodland (dominant species)Association (Community) - Douglas Fir / Snowberry Woodland (subdominant or associated species)

Data Issues


Standard Comparisons

ALLIANCEASSOCIATION7

GROUPALLIANCE6

MACROGROUPFORMATION5

DIVISION FORMATION SUBGROUP4

FORMATIONFORMATION GROUP3

SUBCLASSSUBCLASS2

CLASSCLASS1

Revised HierarchyFGDC 1997 - standard

New

mid levels

ASSOCIATION8


Present StatusApproximately 165 projects in process30 Parks started (1994-2000)29 Park projects started in 200111 Park projects started 2002-20042005 completed 11 more parks, continued 73 ongoing projects, and initiated 24 new starts39 Parks completed for web accessmore completed soon; 62 AA stage completed

62 FY 05; 80 FY 06; 116 FY 07; 146 FY 08

Alaska: 6 parks complete in 2003; 3 in 2004; 3 new ongoing in 2005; 4 more completed 2006-7; 3 more starts 2006-08USGS partnering on funding, 3 methods, archiving contract, collaborative fire and fuels datasets, variability analysis and surface model developments

Data Issues


Program Status

Status June 2007


Maps and Spatial Data

Process & Products


Accuracy AssessmentAssessment of class accuracy across the park:

Process & Products


MetadataProcess & Products


ReportsProcess & Products


Data Availability

All products are made available via a public internet website:

http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/

Process & Products


USGS-BLM Vegetation & Invasive Plants Characterization Projects

Gunnison Gorge NCA

Program Status


USGS-USFWS Vegetation Mapping Projects

Ouray NWR

Lacreek NWR

Program Status


New Models “New/other” technologies

High Resolution Remote SensingeCognition segmentationLaser Rangefinder Remote GPS positioning

Sister Bureau hybrid techniquesFWS Lower cost Vegetation Map “Light”Savings from reduced field collectionBLM / USFS vegetation cross walks ROMO/GRSA

Field Vegetation Guides – VOYA Network strategy / plans PACN & MOJN

New Models



Multiresolution SegmentationLevels can be used to compare results of segmentation based on different scale parameters and homogeneity criterion.Layers can be weighted. Weights determine to which degree the information is used during the process of object generation.

Hybrid Techniques


Hybrid techniques – summary of current efforts

Mixed imagery and Sister Bureau eCog segmentation and skeleton polygon sampling (GRSA)PI / eCog linework and model verification (MEVE) / ground reference; add attributes (field & automation savings)Classical accuracy assessment (AA) or small park methodology (census of MMU @ GRKO, LIBI, KNRI, FOUN)Verify eCog gradient test against completed AA (ROMO)Machine classification and PI field sample verification (LAVO)

Hybrid Techniques


National Park / Environs – data successesConsider areas of interest for small park methodologyEvaluate sparse vegetation sampling need and plot sizesFire and fuels protocols may integrate fuels stratification in sample designDevelop fuel model polygons from NVCS vegetation polygons / photosOther fire and monitoring program data needs…

Summary & Partnerships 1


NPS / Environs – fire data summary

Park Fire Management team field verify / photo reference fuel model typesEvaluate LANDFIRE data potential; AA of EVT layersHow map classes improve Landfire and other modelsResearch partnering for a hybrid approach, as needed

Fire fuel classes / typesFuel loadings (1/10/100 hr…)Fire Regime Condition ClassLANDFIRE update as appropriate and as supported by partnership



Summary of Efforts in 2007-8

Fund $4M ongoing projects in 25+ networksProvide technical support and planning assistance to parks, networks, and regionsPrioritize candidate projects with VMP teamFacilitate new planning based on park and network leveraged funding using hybrid innovations; new starts in ~ 2011-12Action plan for creation / migration of NPS data, and USGS-NPS archivingDevelop and serve planning templates on the web and a PLOTS 3.0 database update



Suggestions to Benthic Efforts

Stabilize the mapping standard, even a draft for NPS Marine Parks

Work the 3 prototype parks, networks, and regional candidate areas

Evaluate candidate projects against the draft standard

Grow / update from the prototypes

Benthic Partnerships 1



Suggestions to Benthic Efforts

Learn the USGS business model and facilitate joint papers on standards innovationsRegional Executive partnership on Green Book budget development, and USGS-NPS archivingDevelop and serve planning templates on the web and a draft 1.0 (geo?) database container

Benthic Partnerships 2


More InformationVisit the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Website: http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg

Chris Lea NPS I&M (Ecologist) [email protected]

Karl Brown, Ph.D. NPS I&M (Program Lead) [email protected]

Contact Information

Mike Mulligan USGS (Program Lead) [email protected]

Theresa Singh USGS (VMP Website) [email protected]

Tammy Hamer NPS I&M (Program Assistant) [email protected]


ThanksKarl Brown, Ph.D.

NPS I&M (Program Lead) (970) 225-3591 [email protected]

Chris Lea NPS I&M (Ecologist) (303) 969-2807 [email protected]

Tammy Hamer NPS I&M Program Assistant (970) 267-7201 [email protected]

Documents

USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program & Benthic Overview