Invasive Exotic Plant Monitoring Geodatabase for HTLN

Young, Craig

This GIS file identifies sampling units or parts of sampling units designed to guide invasive exotic plant monitoring on Heartland Network and Prairie Cluster Prototype Monitoring Program (HTLN) parks. The sampling units are associated with the protocol "Exotic Plant Monitoring Protocol for the Heartland Network and Prairie Cluster Prototype Monitoring Program". In general, sampling units were limited to natural or restored areas on parks. Sampling units were of three types: exotic plant search units for small parks (sample area less than 350 acres; ARPO, GWCA, HEHO, HOCU, HOME, LIBO, PIPE) or systematic-randomly selected line transects for large parks (sample area more than 350 acres; CUVA, EFMO,OZAR, PERI, TAPR, WICR) or roads and trails (HOSP). Exotic plant search units consisted of a single polygon file. Line transect sampling units consisted of three files: a line file of the transects; a point file with transect start-, mid-, and end-points; and a polygon file of a square encompassing the line transect. Line transect mid-points were intentionally collocated with bird monitoring point locations. Line transect start- and end-points were based on a small-scale underlying grid intended to facilitate collocation of future monitoring activities on the given park. Roads and trails segments for HOSP consisted of a line file of road/trail segments, which were located subjectively to optimize search efficiency along segments. The invasive plants targeted for monitoring on each park are listed in the protocol.