Download National Datasets

Data collected and managed by Forest Service programs is available in a map service and two downloadable file formats – in a shape file and an ESRI file geodatabase. Metadata is available that describes the content, source, and currency of the data. You can filter the list by the topic categories in the menu at the left to help you find information you are interested in. You can view the feature classes in a single dataset by clicking on the name of the parent dataset at the bottom of the abstract.

Shapefile Limitation Warning:
The Enterprise Data Warehouse Team has identified certain technical limitations of shapefiles which make them not suitable for all datasets within this clearinghouse. Due to file size limits as well as attribute name length and field length restrictions leading to inevitable data loss, the EDW Team is unable to support shapefile exports for larger datasets. There are other methods to accessing this data in addition to the Esri File Geodatabase (FGDB) including the map service or the Geospatial Data Discovery Tool.

Requests for KML/KMZ output
The Enterprise Data Warehouse Team tested exporting out to KML/KMZ files as a deliverable and due to the complexity and size of the datasets this has been unsuccessful. To obtain a KML file for any EDW dataset, go to the Geospatial Data Discovery Tool and search for the dataset. An option to download to KML is available from that website. If you have questions, contact: SM.FS.data@usda.gov.
 

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Selected topic category: Boundaries  (undo)

Feature Classes Abstract

Administrative Forest Boundaries

ESRI geodatabase  (18MB)
shape file  (40MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 24, 2024

An area encompassing all the National Forest System lands administered by an administrative unit. The area encompasses private lands, other governmental agency lands, and may contain National Forest System lands within the proclaimed boundaries of another administrative unit. All National Forest System lands fall within one
[see more]

parent dataset: Administration

Forest Service Regional Boundaries

ESRI geodatabase  (5MB)
shape file  (11MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 24, 2024

An area encompassing all the National Forest System lands administered by a Region. The area encompasses private lands, other governmental agency lands. All National Forest System lands fall within one and only one Administrative Region Area.
parent dataset: Administration

Ranger District Boundaries

ESRI geodatabase  (22MB)
shape file  (49MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 24, 2024

A depiction of the boundary that encompasses a Ranger District.
parent dataset: Administration

Forest Service developed sites subject to regulation

ESRI geodatabase  (865KB)
shape file  (1MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area having regulations and/or restrictions related to existing buildings, structures, or resource activities such as a constructed fuel breaks.
parent dataset: Land

Geopolitical Units adjusted within Administrative Forest Boundaries

ESRI geodatabase  (67MB)
shape file  (156MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 24, 2024

This feature class includes States, Counties or Boroughs, Congressional Districts, Alaska Recording Districts, County Subdivisions, and Places boundaries that are derived from the latest official Census Bureau and Alaska Department of Natural Resources datasets. Features within Forest Service Administrative Forest boundaries
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

Hazardous sites

ESRI geodatabase  (46KB)
shape file  (58KB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

Polygons representing Forest Service land areas with a regulated use specification authorized by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980. These areas generally contain hazardous waste considerations.
parent dataset: Land

Land Management Planning Unit (LMPU)

ESRI geodatabase  (18MB)
shape file  (40MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

The Land Management Planning Unit (LMPU) feature class displays the plan revision status for FS land management planning units, their boundaries, FS Region, planning phase milestone and associated date, and link to a related planning website. A land management plan provides a framework for integrated resource management and
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

Land Utilization

ESRI geodatabase  (251KB)
shape file  (499KB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A unit designated by the Secretary of Agriculture for conservation and utilization under Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act.
parent dataset: Land

Mineral Rights

ESRI geodatabase  (11MB)
shape file  (20MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area depicting ownership parcels of the subsurface estate, representing mineral rights; it is collected only if the subsurface estate is different than the overlying surface estate.
parent dataset: Land

National Forest Lands with Nationally Designated Management or Use Limitations

ESRI geodatabase  (10MB)
shape file  (25MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A boundary within which National Forest System land parcels have managment or use limits placed on them by legal authority. Examples are: National Recreation Area, National Monument, and National Game Refuge.
parent dataset: Land

National Forest Lands with Nationally Designated Management or Use Limitations: Legal Status

ESRI geodatabase  (10MB)
shape file  (25MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A boundary of an area designation within which National Forest System land parcels have management or use limits placed on them by legal authority above the Agency level (e.g. Congress and/or President). Areas that have been designated by Congress, Executive Order, Presidential Proclamation, or an Executive branch Department,
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

National Forest System Land Units

ESRI geodatabase  (19MB)
shape file  (42MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 24, 2024

An NFS Land Unit is nationally significant classification of Federally owned forest, range, and related lands that are administered by the USDA Forest Service or designated for administration through the Forest Service. NFS Land Unit types include proclaimed national forest, purchase unit, national grassland, land utilization
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

National Grassland Units

ESRI geodatabase  (388KB)
shape file  (846KB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 24, 2024

A National Grassland unit designated by the Secretary of Agriculture and permanently held by the Department of Agriculture under Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act.
parent dataset: Land

National Wild and Scenic River Lines

ESRI geodatabase  (7MB)
shape file  (19MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 6, 2024

This polyline feature class depicts the river corridors of each Wild and Scenic River designated by Congress or the Secretary of the Interior for the United States and Puerto Rico. This GIS data layer was created from a multi-agency effort by the US Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the US
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

National Wild and Scenic River Segments

ESRI geodatabase  (7MB)
shape file  (19MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 6, 2024

This polyline feature class depicts the classification of each wild and scenic river segment designated by Congress and the Secretary of the Interior for the United States and Puerto Rico. This layer was created by a multi-agency effort including the US Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and the
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

National Wild and Scenic Rivers

ESRI geodatabase  (2MB)
shape file  (5MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A boundary depicting an area that has been designated as a National Wild, Scenic or Recreational River in the National Wild and Scenic River System.
parent dataset: Land

National Wilderness Areas

ESRI geodatabase  (9MB)
shape file  (21MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A boundary depicting an area that has been designated as a National Wilderness in the National Wilderness Preservation System.
parent dataset: Land

Original Proclaimed National Forests

ESRI geodatabase  (18MB)
shape file  (39MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 24, 2024

The FS National Forests Dataset (US Forest Service Proclaimed Forests) is a depiction of the boundaries encompassing the National Forest System (NFS) lands within the original proclaimed National Forests, along with subsequent Executive Orders, Proclamations, Public Laws, Public Land Orders, Secretary of Agriculture Orders,
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

Original Proclaimed National Forests and National Grasslands

ESRI geodatabase  (18MB)
shape file  (40MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 24, 2024

This layer includes both Proclaimed Forest and National Grassland boundary areas. A Proclaimed Forest boundary is the boundary encompassing National Forest System land within a national forest that is set aside and reserved from the public domain by executive order or proclamation; congressional action is required to terminate
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

Other Sub Surface Right

ESRI geodatabase  (29KB)
shape file  (28KB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area depicting ownership parcels of the subsurface estate, excluding mineral rights; it is collected only if the subsurface estate is different than the overlying surface estate.
parent dataset: Land

Other Surface Right

ESRI geodatabase  (13MB)
shape file  (27MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area depicting a right to a surface resource, excluding rights of way.
parent dataset: Land

Parcels withdrawn from settlement, sale, mineral location, and/or entry

ESRI geodatabase  (3MB)
shape file  (8MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

Federal land parcels that are withdrawn from settlement, sale, location, or entry under some or all of the general land and mineral laws in order to maintain other public values or purposes. A withdrawal area has one or more associated segregations. A segregation is a specific activity from which the area has been withdrawn
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

Public Land Survey Corner

ESRI geodatabase  (72MB)
shape file  (113MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A land survey point from a GCDB LX file, survey plat, or captured from a CFF land net coverage. Includes points generated by calculating an aliquot breakdown of a section.
parent dataset: Land

Public Land Survey Monument

ESRI geodatabase  (1MB)
shape file  (2MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A featureclass depicting survey monuments. A monument is a permanent marker placed at the location of a corner. Today, permanent monuments can be an aluminum pipe and cap or an iron rod and plastic cap. In the past, original PLSS surveys often utilized wooden stakes or posts, marked trees, or stones, mounds of rocks, pits, or
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

Public Land Survey System Quarter Section

ESRI geodatabase  (732KB)
shape file  (921KB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

This Quarter Section feature class depicts PLSS Second Divisions . PLSS townships are subdivided in a spatial hierarchy of first, second, and third division. These divisions are typically aliquot parts ranging in size from 640 acres to 160 to 40 acres, and subsequently all the way down to 2.5 acres. The data in this feature
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

Public Land Survey System Sections

ESRI geodatabase  (86MB)
shape file  (121MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area defined by the Public Lands Survey System Grid. Normally, 36 sections make up a township.
parent dataset: Land

Public Land Survey System Townships

ESRI geodatabase  (11MB)
shape file  (23MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area defined by the Public Lands Survey System grid that is referenced by its tier and range numbers, and is normally a rectangle approximately 6 miles on a side with boundaries conforming to meridians and parallels.
parent dataset: Land

Purchase Units under the Weeks Law

ESRI geodatabase  (242KB)
shape file  (497KB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A unit designated by the Secretary of Agriculture or previously approved by the National Forest Reservation Commission for purposes of Weeks Law acquisition.
parent dataset: Land

Right of Way

ESRI geodatabase  (39MB)
shape file  (77MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area depicting a privilege to pass over the land of another in some particular path; usually an easement over the land of another; a strip of land used in this way for railroad and highway purposes, for pipelines or pole lines and for private and public passage.
parent dataset: Land

Special Interest Management Areas

ESRI geodatabase  (3MB)
shape file  (7MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A boundary within which National Forest System land parcels have management or use limits placed on them by the Forest Service. Examples include: Archaeological Area, Research Natural Area, and Scenic Area.
parent dataset: Land

Special Status Areas

ESRI geodatabase  (19MB)
shape file  (42MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A land area that has distinct management/use authorities or agreements for Forest Service action. Includes: Cost Share Agreement Areas, Exchange Authority Areas, Land Adjustment Plan Areas, Forest Reserves, and Secretary's Order Areas.
parent dataset: Land

Surface Ownership Parcels

ESRI geodatabase  (47MB)
shape file  (101MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 17, 2024

An area depicted as surface ownership parcels dissolved on the same ownership classification.
parent dataset: Land

Surface Ownership Parcels, detailed

ESRI geodatabase  (64MB)
shape file  (119MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 24, 2024

An area depicting ownership parcels of the surface estate. Each surface ownership parcel is tied to a particular legal transaction. The same individual or organization may currently own many parcels that may or may not have been acquired through the same legal transaction. Therefore, they are captured as separate entities
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

Survey Boundaries maintained by the US Forest Service

ESRI geodatabase  (141MB)
shape file  (145MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

Surface Management Agency (SMA) lines represent the surveyed boundary lines for which the Forest Service is responsible for marking and posting. These include the boundaries between NFS lands and non-NFS lands and the boundaries of congressionally designated areas such as National Wilderness.
parent dataset: Land

Survey parcels described by metes and bounds

ESRI geodatabase  (34MB)
shape file  (59MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A depiction of a survey parcel described by a metes and bounds description. Examples include: land lots, housing subdivision lots, mineral surveys, and homestead entry surveys.
parent dataset: Land

Wild and Scenic Rivers: Legal Status

ESRI geodatabase  (2MB)
shape file  (5MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A boundary of an area designation that comprises all or a portion of a National Wild, Scenic or Recreational River in the Wild and Scenic River System. Each area designation is characterized by a date, boundary status, and authority and may be just one of several designations that comprise a single National Wild and Scenic
[see more]

parent dataset: Land

Wilderness Areas: Legal Status

ESRI geodatabase  (10MB)
shape file  (24MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

A boundary of an area designation that comprises all or a portion of a National Wilderness in the National Wilderness Preservation System. Each area designation is characterized by a date, boundary status, and authority and may be just one of several designations that comprise a single National Wilderness.
parent dataset: Land

PADUS FS Managed Surface Ownership Parcels

ESRI geodatabase  (30MB)
shape file  (63MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area depicting National Forest System (NFS) ownership parcels of the surface estate.
parent dataset: PAD_US

PADUS FS National Designated Areas

ESRI geodatabase  (47MB)
shape file  (103MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area depicting designated National Forest System (NFS) land boundaries, excluding boundaries designated by proclamation.
parent dataset: PAD_US

PADUS FS Proclaimed NF and National Grassland Boundaries

ESRI geodatabase  (19MB)
shape file  (40MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area depicting designated National Forest System (NFS) land boundaries which are designated by proclamation.
parent dataset: PAD_US

PADUS FS Scenic and Conservation Easement Areas

ESRI geodatabase  (379KB)
shape file  (686KB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

An area depicting a type of special use authorization (usually granted for linear rights-of-way) that is utilized in those situations where a conveyance of a limited and transferable interest in National Forest System (NFS) land is necessary or desirable to serve or facilitate authorized long-term uses, and that may be
[see more]

parent dataset: PAD_US

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - Landscape Investments

ESRI geodatabase  (1MB)
shape file  (3MB)

Date of last refresh: Apr 10, 2023

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (a.k.a Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act) and the Inflation Reduction Act include significant funding to execute fuels mitigation projects. Regions submitted proposed project boundaries designed to address community exposure to wildfire. The Executive Leadership Team of the Forest Service
[see more]

Experimental Forest and Range Areas

ESRI geodatabase  (628KB)
shape file  (1MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 4, 2018

This polygon feature class contains the boundaries of 86 of 87 experimental forests, ranges and watersheds, including cooperating experimental areas.

Experimental Forest and Range Locations

ESRI geodatabase  (36KB)
shape file  (13KB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 4, 2018

This point feature class contains the locations of all 87 experimental forests, ranges and watersheds, including cooperating experimental areas.

FIA Landcover County Estimates 2015

ESRI geodatabase  (46MB)
shape file  (104MB)

Date of last refresh: Nov 27, 2018

This feature class represents forest area estimates (and percent sampling error) by county for the year 2015. The data was generated from the Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) using the EVALIDator web tool (http://apps.fs.fed.us/Evalidator/evalidator.jsp-
). The areas were calculated within county limits using the US Census
[see more]

FIA Landcover County Estimates 2016

ESRI geodatabase  (46MB)
shape file  (104MB)

Date of last refresh: Nov 27, 2018

This feature class represents forest area estimates (and percent sampling error) by county for the year 2016. The data was generated from the Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) using the EVALIDator web tool (http://apps.fs.fed.us/Evalidator/evalidator.jsp-
). The areas were calculated within county limits using the US Census
[see more]

FIA Landcover County Estimates 2017

ESRI geodatabase  (46MB)
shape file  (104MB)

Date of last refresh: Nov 27, 2018

This feature class represents forest area estimates (and percent sampling error) by county for the year 2017. The data was generated from the Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) using the EVALIDator web tool (http://apps.fs.fed.us/Evalidator/evalidator.jsp-
). The areas were calculated within county limits using the US Census
[see more]

Forest Common Names

ESRI geodatabase  (18MB)
shape file  (40MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 18, 2024

Basic Description: The FSCommonNames dataset contains the common names of the national forests and grasslands and their respective FS WWW URL information that is used for both display of the national forest and national grassland boundaries on any map product and for dynamic interactivity of the map. This published dataset
[see more]

Forest Service Land and Water Conservation Fund Parcels

ESRI geodatabase  (2MB)
shape file  (3MB)

Date of last refresh: Jan 28, 2024

This data is intended for read-only use. Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) data from surface ownership fund table is attached to surface ownership to create a base layer that is used in Forest Service business functions, as well as by other entities such as states, counties, other agencies, and partners. This layer
[see more]

Payments in Lieu of Taxes and All Service Receipts Forest Lands

ESRI geodatabase  (157MB)
shape file  (389MB)

Date of last refresh: Nov 15, 2022

This data is intended for read-only use. Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and All Service Receipts (ASR) are combined into a base layer that is used in Forest Service business functions, as well as by other entities such as states and counties. This layer depicts Forest Service lands that qualify for PILT and/or ASR. Payments
[see more]

Research Station Boundaries

ESRI geodatabase  (3MB)
shape file  (9MB)

Date of last refresh: Dec 3, 2019

These data are a polygon feature class that represents the administrative boundaries of the US Forest Service Research and Development Stations. These territories consist of a collection of states' geographic areas, within which all research and development facilities and lands are managed by a station headquarters.

Research Station Boundaries (Generalized)

ESRI geodatabase  (58KB)
shape file  (57KB)

Date of last refresh: Dec 3, 2019

ResearchStationBoundaries_Gen is a generalized spatial representation of the administrative boundaries of the US Forest Service Research and Development Stations. These territories consist of a collection of states' geographic areas, within which all research and development facilities and lands are managed by a station
[see more]

Tribal Ceded Lands

ESRI geodatabase  (1MB)
shape file  (1MB)

Date of last refresh: May 29, 2018

Sixty-seven maps from "Indian Land Cessions in the United States," compiled by Charles C. Royce and published as the second part of the two-part Eighteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1896-1897 have been scanned, georeferenced in JPEG2000 format, and
[see more]

Tribal Ceded Lands Table

ESRI geodatabase  (107KB)

Date of last refresh: May 29, 2018

This is a table used for joining additional attributes to the feature class called TribalCededLands, which is the result of scanning, georeferencing and digitizing sixty-seven maps from "Indian Land Cessions in the United States," compiled by Charles C. Royce and published as the second part of the two-part Eighteenth Annual
[see more]

U.S. Forest Service Silviculture Reforestation Needs

ESRI geodatabase  (29MB)
shape file  (62MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 22, 2024

The SilvReforestation feature class represents activities associated with the following performance measure: Forest Vegetation Establishment (Planting, Seeding, Site Preparation for Natural Regeneration and Certification of Natural Regeneration without Site Preparation). The Activities data set portrays the areas where
[see more]

U.S. Forest Service Silviculture Timber Stand Improvement Needs

ESRI geodatabase  (52MB)
shape file  (99MB)

Date of last refresh: Mar 22, 2024

The SilvTSI (Silviculture Timber Stand Improvement) feature class represents activities associated with the following performance measure: Forest Vegetation Improved (Release, Weeding, and Cleaning, Precommercial Thinning, Pruning and Fertilization). The Activities data set portrays the areas where activities are accomplished
[see more]