Vegetation Classification & Mapping

1. Vegetation Classification & Mapping Jeanne Taylor, MOJN Vegetation Mapping Coordinator

2. Rationale • Vegetation maps are one of the12-baseline inventories • Classification - To inventory and describe the plant communities within network parks • Mapping – To accurately document these plant communities in a GIS layer

3. Veg. Classification & Mapping Major Phases • Project Planning • Classification • Preliminary classification created from legacy data • Field data collection • Final Vegetation Classification • Mapping • Imagery acquisition and mapping • Map Accuracy Assessment • Final Reports and Deliverables

4. Project Timeline

5. Project Status - JOTR • Phase = Final Reports and Deliverables • Final project report and products scheduled for completion by December 2010.

6. Project Status - PARA • Phase = Classification and Mapping • Classification: • Mojave Desert portion complete • Shivwits Plateau portion in-progress • Mapping: • June 2011 – June 2012

7. Project Status - MANZ • Phase – Final Deliverables • Final draft of project report and products scheduled for completion by November 2010. • Submit completed products to NVIP Feb 2011.

8. Project Status - GRBA • Phase - Mapping • Classification completed May 2010 • Mapping begun May 2010 • Map validation trip planned for October 2010

9. GRBA - Classification Results • Complete dataset = 439 plots/obs • Classified to: 14 Macrogroups 30 Groups 57 Alliances ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ 42 Proposed Map Classes 126 Associations

10. National Vegetation Classification 2008 Hierarchy • Upper: Physiognomy plays a predominant role • L1 – Formation Class • L2 – Formation Subclass • L3 – Formation • Middle: Both floristics and physiognomy play a significant role • L4 – Division • L5 – Macrogroup • L6 – Group • Lower: Floristics plays a predominant role L7 – Alliance ⇚ ⇚ ⇛ ⇛ Target mapping class level L8 - Association

11. Results – Classified Veg Type to Map Class

12. Project status – LAKE, MOJA, DEVA • Phase = Classification • Preliminary classification of legacy data completed Feb 2009 • Field data collection at LAKE and DEVA, Feb – July 2009 • Second year of field data collection begins Sep 29, 2010.

13. LAKE – VMap Sampling Approach • Created Biophysical Units (BPUs) using • Soils layer • Climate grids (Temperature min Jan, max July, Precipitation, winter and summer) • Resulted in 50 unique BPUs • Randomly selected 100 BPUs to sample, two per unique BPU. -------------------------------------- • Additional samples collected through directed and opportunistic searches

14. LAKE – VMap Biophysical Units, 2010 Plots/Obs. Locations

15. LAKE – Vmap Sampling Approach • Fields crews provided with • A list of vegetation types likely to occur within LAKE. • A target number of plot and observation points per vegetation type. • Mininum number of classification plots per vegetation type: 5

16. Classification field data collection

17. Results LAKE, First field season • Classification plots = 157 • Observation points = 237 Total = 394 (Target No. : ~ 400) • No. of alliances with > 5 plot/obs: 19 • No. of alliances with 1-4 plot/obs: 45 • No. of plots marked permanently: 37

18. LAKE Plot and Obs Point Locations, 2010

19. LAKE – Crew at work LAKE_vmap_0104a_N_20100224.JPG

20. Results – LAKE, First Field Season

21. Results – LAKE, 2010 Field Season

22. DEVA and MOJA

23. DEVA and MOJA - Central Mojave Vegetation Map • Field data collection conducted in 1997-1998 • Vegetation Map and Technical Report completed in 2004 • Minimum mapping unit (MMU): 5 hectares • NVIP MMU: 0.5 hectares • Special features map is a starting place for future mapping at a finer resolution

24. Objectives of field data collection at MOJA, DEVA • Fill in gaps in the current classification • Sample in areas where there is no existing data • Collect additional samples in rare, localized vegetation types (e.g. White Fir at MOJA)

25. Target number of plot and obs. points at DEVA and MOJA • DEVA • Classification plots: 191 (Legacy data: 827) • Observation points: 420 • MOJA • Classification plots: 203 (Legacy data: 200) • Observation points: 430

26. DEVA – Vmap Sampling Approach • Park divided into 17 work zones representing major landforms (ranges, dunes, valleys, playas) • 1st Field Season - stratified random sampling points by vegetation type within each work zone • 2nd Field season – to stratify sampling points by vegetation type and elevation within each work zone

27. DEVA Vmap Work Zones

28. Results DEVA, First field season • Classification plots = 38 • Observation points = 186 Total = 224 • No. of alliances with > 5 plot/obs: 24 • No. of alliances with 1-4 plot/obs: 32 • No. of plots marked permanently: none

29. Results – DEVA, First Field Season

30. Results, DEVA, First Field Season

31. DEVA – Vmap Plot and Obs. Points, 2010

32. DEVA-Crew at work DEVA_vmap_0149_SE_20100619.JPG

33. MOJA - Vmap Sampling Approach • Park divided into 32 works zones representing major landforms (ranges, dunes, valleys, playas) • Sampling points to be stratified by vegetation type and elevation within each work zone.

34. MOJA – Vmap Work Zones

35. COMPLIANCE • LAKE, MOJA, DEVA - Park permits have been applied for and received for collecting plants for plant identification purposes.

36. Data Management/Data Quality

37. Data Management • Data delivery schedule • 1st season, data deliverables were due at the conclusion of the season • 2nd season, data deliverables due: • November 5 • January 7 • March 11th • June 10th • Thirty days from receipt by Project Lead to Data Manager

38. QA/QC • Quality Assurance • Pre-season field crew training insuring instruction is clear, concepts are understood • Calibrate ocular estimation among all crew members pre-season and mid-season. • Project Lead periodically works with each field crew member to insure that data is being collected correctly

39. QA/QC • Quality control • Data entry personnel are responsible for a 100% check of all records entered. • Project Lead works with Data Manager to develop database field controls (i.e. values out of range). • Project Lead responsible for at minimum a 10% check of all records entered.

40. Future Personnel Needs • [Project Management – • Current Veg. Mapping Coordinator position ends Dec. 2011. • In 2011, MOJN will have to decide how project management will be handled beginning in 2012.] • Field personnel • Once maps are completed, field crews will be needed to complete AA field work. • Earliest needed will be 2014 for LAKE vegetation map.

41. Veg. Mapping - Project Team Members

42. Members of UNLV Field Crew, 2010 • Kate Prengaman, Crew Leader • Teague Embrey, Field Lead • Sarah Schimd, Field Lead • Karin Edwards, Crew member • Carl Howard, Crew member • Julia Howard, Crew member • Project P.I.: Scott Abella

43. LAKE – Crew at work LAKE_vmap_CREW_CHoward_20100419_0277_01.JPG

44. NATIONAL VEGETATION INVENTORY PROGRAM (NVIP)CONTACT LIST

45. LAKE, MOJA and DEVA VEGETATION CLASSIFICATION and MAPPING PROJECT - CONTACT LIST

46. GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK CLASSIFICATION and MAPPING PROJECT - CONTACT LIST

47. MANZANAR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE VEGETATION CLASSIFICATION and MAPPING PROJECT - CONTACT LIST

48. JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK VEGETATION CLASSIFICATION and MAPPING PROJECT - CONTACT LIST

49. GRAND CANYON PARASHANT NATIONAL MONUMENT(Mapped as part of the Grand Canyon/Lake Mead Classification and Mapping Project) – Contact List