Originator: USDA Forest Service - Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program & Geospatial Technology and Applications Center (GTAC)
Publication_Date: 2008
Title: Conterminous U.S. and Alaska Forest Type Mapping Using Forest Inventory and Analysis Data
Authors: B. Ruefenacht, M.V. Finco, M.D. Nelson, R. Czaplewski, E.H. Helmer, J.A. Blackard, G.R. Holden, A.J. Lister, D. Salajanu, D. Weyermann, K. Winterberger
This dataset portrays 28 forest type groups across Alaska. These data were derived from MODIS composite images from the 2002 and 2003 growing seasons in combination with nearly 100 other geospatial data layers, including elevation, slope, aspect, and ecoregions.
The dataset was developed as a collaborative effort between the USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis and Forest Health Monitoring programs and the USFS Geospatial Technology and Applications Center.
Purpose:
The purpose of this dataset is to portray broad distribution patterns of forest cover in the United States and provide input to national scale modeling projects. The data should not be displayed at scales smaller than 1:63,360. Independent accuracy assessments were conducted using a 10% holdout of the training data, and are available through the data source contact.
None. It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. Using the data for other than their intended purpose may yield inaccurate or misleading results.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Bonnie Ruefenacht, Ph.D.
Contact_Organization: USDA Forest Service Forest Geospatial Technology and Applications Center
Acknowledgement of the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Program and Geospatial Technology and Applications Center would be appreciated in products derived from these data.
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Version 5.0 (Build 2195) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcCatalog 8.3.0.800
Forest Type Groups are aggregations of forest types (Eyre 1980) into logical ecological groupings. There are 28 national forest type groups. Class accuracy was assessed using a randomly selected independent hold out of 539 plots. Alaska accuracy for the forest type groups was 78%. Individual class accuracies are available from from the producer of the dataset.
Eyre, F.H. ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Washington DC: Society of American Foresters; 148 p.
Lineage:
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: University of Maryland
Title: Global Land Cover Facility
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: raster digital data
Other_Citation_Details:
The GLCF develops and distributes remotely sensed satellite data and products concerned with land cover from the local to global scales. MODIS 32-day composite images are available for download.
Originator: USDA Forest Service - Forest Inventory and Analysis Program
Publication_Date: Unpublished Material
Title: Forest Inventory Plot Data
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: tabular digital data
Other_Citation_Details:
The Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the Forest Service has been in continuous operation since 1930 with a mission to "make and keep current a comprehensive inventory and analysis of the present and prospective conditions of and requirements for the renewable resources of the forest and rangelands of the United States." FIA reports on status and trends in forest area and location; in the species, size, and health of trees; in total tree growth, mortality, and removals by harvest; in wood production and utilization rates by various products; and in forest land ownership. FIA data is protected by the Food Security Act of 1985 as amended (7 U.S.C. 2276(d)), and as such is not publicly distributable.
Training and Accuracy Assessment data for used to develop the classification
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: USGS
Title: National Elevation Dataset
Other_Citation_Details:
The USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED) was developed by merging the highest-resolution, best quality elevation data available across the United States into a seamless raster format. NED is the result of the maturation of the USGS effort to provide 1:24,000-scale Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data for the conterminous US and 1:63,360-scale DEM data for Alaska.
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: National Elevation Data
Source_Contribution:
Digital elevation data from which elevation , slope and aspect variables were derived
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
The methodology used to produce the national forest type database combined ground-truth (from FIA plot data) with multi-date imagery and variety of other spatially continuous geospatial data. The predictor data themes include,
- Elevation, slope, and aspect
- Unified Ecoregions
- MODIS Vegetation Indices such as EVI, NDVI.
- MODIS Vegetation Continuous Fields
- Percent tree cover, percent herbaceous cover, and percent bare ground
- MODIS fire points for developed from the MODIS Active Fire Maps
- MODIS 8-day composites
- Multiple dates from the spring, summer, and fall
- All MODIS 32-day composite images that are cloud-free between the years 2001-2003
- Alaska Vegetation Classification
Statistical models developed in Rulequest's See5 data mining software link the FIA plot variables with the imagery and geospatial data. See5 creates classification trees, which have the advantage of not assuming parametric properties within the predictor data and are thus are more appropriate for the multi-scale, multi-source data, which are being used.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition: Forest Type Code
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source:
100 White/Red/Jack Pine Group
120 Spruce/Fir Group
140 Longleaf/Slash Pine Group
160 Loblolly/Shortleaf Pine Group
180 Pinyon/Juniper Group
200 Douglas-fir Group
220 Ponderosa Pine Group
240 Western White Pine Group
260 Fir/Spruce/Mountain Hemlock Group
280 Lodgepole Pine Group
300 Hemlock/Sitka Spruce Group
320 Western Larch Group
340 Redwood Group
360 Other Western Softwood Group
370 California Mixed Conifer Group
380 Exotic Softwoods Group
400 Oak/Pine Group
500 Oak/Hickory Group
600 Oak/Gum/Cypress Group
700 Elm/Ash/Cottonwood Group
800 Maple/Beech/Birch Group
900 Aspen/Birch Group
910 Alder/Maple Group
920 Western Oak Group
940 Tanoak/Laurel Group
950 Other Western Hardwoods Group
980 Tropical Hardwoods Group
990 Exotic Hardwoods Group
Unrepresentable_Domain:
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Although these data have been used by the USDA Forest Service, the USDA Forest Service shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. These data are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such.
It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. Using the data for other than their intended purpose may yield inaccurate or misleading results. The USDA Forest Service gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from the USDA Forest Service server and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the USDA Forest Service, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the utility of the data on another system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data.
The USDA Forest Service reserves the right to correct, update or modify this data and related materials without notification.
