Field data for the Vegetation Mapping Inventory Project of Natural Bridges National Monument

This reference is an assemblage of field data collected as part the baseline vegetation inventory for the park unit. Typical files here are vegetation plot data, accuracy assessment data, field photos, PDF showing locations of vegetation plots and accuracy assessment data, and other data for this type. The team collected vegetation and environmental data from 80 vegetation classification plots and 17 observation points. No supplemental fuels data were collected during the project. Fieldwork and mapping were completed between 2003 and 2005. Observation point data collected by field crews provided additional documentation of the vegetation for the photointerpreter. Seventeen observation points were collected within the NABR vegetation mapping project area. At each point, a subset of vegetation and environmental data was collected. Vegetation information was recorded only for the most abundant species present at each sampling location. Observation points varied in size, but usually approximated the minimum mapping unit (MMU) of 0.5 hectares. Observation point data were used primarily to support photointerpretation and mapping. However, a subset of these data was used to augment vegetation description in the following circumstances: 1) unique vegetation too small for a fixed-plot, 2) inaccessible areas where the vegetation could be viewed from a distance, and 3) special features occupying areas smaller than 0.5 ha (1.2 acres). Overall conditions at each observation point were documented with one or more 35mm color slide photographs. Thirty-two color slides of observation points were acquired.