Field data for the Vegetation Mapping Inventory Project of Cumberland Island National Seashore

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. Plots were deliberately placed non-randomly in such a manner as to maximize capturing the diversity of vegetation communities at the seashore given the minimum number of plots for the project. Plot size was variable (e.g., 10 × 30 m, 15 × 20 m, 20 × 20 m, 20 × 40 m, 20 × 50 m) and decided at the time of sampling based on which dimension would most adequately characterize the vegetation sampled in each plot. Eighty-one vegetation plots were sampled in the seashore at various times in 2006 and 2007. In each plot, field staff estimated and recorded an array of vegetation and environmental data using the field form. The following categories of data were collected: location and plot identifiers, environmental description, vegetation description, and ancillary information. In 2008, the department collected 54 Accuracy Assessment points for the vegetation map that they created. We were provided access to the classification plots as well as the accuracy assessment points from their project. We used this data to verify and edit, as necessary, our vegetation map of Cumberland Island National Seashore. About half of the accuracy assessment points were sampled in October to December 2012 by a field crew of two Student Conservation Association (SCA) interns hired by the Southeast Coast Network. The remaining points were sampled by ecologists contracted by the Southeast Coast Network from the Atkins consulting firm in November through December 2013.