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The CVS-EEP Partnership

The Carolina Vegetation Survey and the EEP collaborate to restore natural communities in North Carolina. They provide research, data services, protocols, and training for restoration efforts.

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The CVS-EEP Partnership

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  1. The CVS-EEP Partnership Working together to restore North Carolina's natural communities

  2. The CVS Team • Project Directors • Robert Peet, UNC Chapel Hill • Thomas Wentworth, NC State University • Michael Schafale, NC Natural Heritage Program • Alan Weakley, NC Botanical Garden • Staff • Forbes Boyle, Project Manager • Michael Lee, Database admin & software developer

  3. The Carolina Vegetation Survey • Multi-institutional collaborative program. • Established in 1988 to document the composition and status of natural vegetation of the Carolinas. • Provides data, data services and analysis to EEP and its contractors.

  4. CVS-EEP collaboration activitiesResearch and Services • Restoration targets • Protocols and tools • Data management • Data analysis • Training

  5. Restoration protocol • Document reference conditions • Derive restoration targets • Design site-specific restoration plan • Implement the plan • Monitor change and assess success • Employ adaptive management • CVS provides improved reference data, target design, monitoring protocols, data management and analysis, and training.

  6. Reference data collection is an on-going activity Over 6000 plots, containing > 2600 species, documenting > 250 vegetation types

  7. 1. Reference site dataA. Pulse • Boot camp for botanists; Woodstock for botanists; Extreme botany • Access to sites rarely available • Unparalleled training • Networking opportunities • Free lodging and free t-shirt • Send email to peet@unc.eduor join the list at http://cvs.bio.unc.edu • July 18-25, 2008: Chowan & Meherrin Rivers

  8. Reference site dataB. Focal projects & data mining • Student research projects • Broad-scale collaboration and data mining • Targeted systems • Piedmont rivers • Mountain bogs • Other research projects

  9. National & International Context • U.S. National Vegetation Classification http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/ • Ecological Society of America Vegetation Panel – Guidelines for recording and classifying vegetation (v 5.1 to be released in July). http://www.esa.org/vegweb/docFiles/NVC_Guidelines_v45.pdf • Federal Geographic Data Committee, Vegetation Subcommittee – Federal standards http://cvs.bio.unc.edu/FGDCVegetationStandard-V2-2008.pdf • VegBankhttp://vegbank.org

  10. www.vegbank.org

  11. CVS Vision • The Carolina vegetation database, available on the web • Revision and documentation of the National Vegetation Classification • Tools for identification and prediction of existing and potential vegetation • Synthesis and reference information on the vegetation of the Carolinas

  12. 2. Restoration targets • Move from crude species lists to a plot database and high-resolution community classification with quantitative descriptions. • EEP contractors can use these data to establish site-specific restoration targets. • Phase 1: National Vegetation Classification type descriptions. • Phase 2: Dynamically generated targets. • Growers can predict material needs. • EEP can anticipate significantly higher success.

  13. 3. Data collection & recordingCVS Protocol • Consistent methodology • Appropriate for most vegetation types • FGDC compliant and broadly compatible • Flexible in intensity and time commitment • Easily resampled • Total floristics &/or tree population structure • Major site variables, including soil attributes

  14. CVS sampling protocol • 5 sampling levels provide flexibility plus consistency. • Available resources include manuals, datasets, and data entry tools. • Applicable for multiple purposes and organizations

  15. Sampling levels • Level 1: Inventory of planted stems • Level 2: Inventory of planted and natural stems • Level 3: Cover of dominants and optional stem inventory • Level 4: Full floristics • Level 5: Full floristics, by module, across scales.

  16. Level 1: Basic Plot Data planted stems only • For restoration areas with planted stems. • The primary purpose is to document installation and to monitor survival and growth of installed plants.

  17. Level 2: Natural Stems • For restoration areas. • Plots allow accurate and rapid assessment of the overall status and trajectory of woody-plant restoration on a site.

  18. Level 3: Community occurrence Cover class of each dominant species • Used to document leaf area cover of the more common species • Plots conform to the FGDC standards for plots used to classify vegetation to an NVC association • Used to assess vegetation successional status as well as the presence and abundance of undesirable taxa

  19. Levels 4 & 5: Comprehensivecommunity classification • Similar to level 3, but more • Cover values are determined for all plant species • Additional environmental data are collected • Plots conform to the FGDC standards for plots used to revise the NVC.

  20. The module: 1 are = 100m2

  21. Typical Level-5 plot layout

  22. 4. Data management • The CVS data management system insures accurate data collection and reporting • The CVS data-entry tool allows efficient data entry with automatic error checking • Reports and plot statistics are automatically generated • The archived data are used in various analyses and to generate datasheets for subsequent monitoring

  23. Data entry & submission Demonstration on Wednesday

  24. Entry Tool Features • Contractors use the tool to digitize & organize data. • Centralizes the entry process into one place • Can calculate number of required plots for a project • Efficient data entry at all CVS Levels: • Forms mimic paper datasheets • Lookup data (species, locations) quickly • Avoid redundant typing. • Flags possible errors for resolution • Reports summarize final data • New datasheets printed for future monitoring SAVES TIME & MONEY, DELIVERS HIGHER QUALITY DATA!

  25. Efficient Planted Stem Entry

  26. Catch Errors Early Data automatically checked for errors as entered.

  27. Datasheets prepared for next year

  28. Stems mapped for easy resampling

  29. Second-year entry: twice as fast You don't have to retype data that is known from last year. The cursor stops only on the few fields with solid borders.

  30. 5. Data analysis • CVS reports • Datasheets for monitoring • Survival & growth of planted stems • Direction of compositional change • Rate of compositional change • Problems needing attention (e.g., stem mortality, exotic species) • The data and services provided by CVS improve the likelihood that vegetation within monitored sites is developing towards a pre-defined reference condition.

  31. Reports generated by entry tool • Data summarized with click of a button • Multiple configuration options available • Reports based on a single year or multiple years • Reports based on a single project or multiple projects

  32. Project Summary Highlights year of project failing to meet requirements! Summary Report Matrix of plots, species, and number of stems (This page shows 3 of 10 to 12 worksheets in the Report) Summary of Stem Vigor

  33. Mapping of Plots

  34. Spotting Outliers

  35. 6. Training • Contractors receive hands-on training in data collection and management at annual workshops • Annual “Pulse” events provide intensive training in sampling protocols and North Carolina’s plant species and vegetation.

  36. Looking forward to continued collaboration

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