Field data for the Vegetation Mapping Inventory Project of Natchez Trace Parkway

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 2011 vegetation classification was derived from vegetation plots collected during 1995, 2004–5, and 2009. Vegetation analyses provided detailed ecological information to affirm vegetation associations in the USNVC and to document the vegetation associations with local descriptors. A field key to vegetation associations complemented the 2011 vegetation classification. The vegetation classification and key were continually refined throughout the NATR vegetation mapping project with additional data from map reconnaissance, verification, and AA. Additional quick plots were collected in 2014 during the map reconnaissance effort. In total, 605 vegetation plots are included in the database to support vegetation classification for the NATR vegetation mapping project. Summary reports generated from the vegetation map layer of the map classes representing USNVC natural (including ruderal) vegetation types apply to 12,648 polygons (93.5% of polygons) and cover 18,542.7 ha (85.6%) of the map extent for NATR. The map layer indicates the Parkway to be 70.5% forest and woodland (15,258.7 ha), 0.3% shrubland (63.0 ha), and 14.9% herbaceous cover (3,221.0 ha).