Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks vegetation classification and mapping project report
Haultain SA, Reyes ET, Menke JM, Johnson DN, Karavidas (Cline) DL. 2020. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks vegetation classification and mapping project report. Natural Resource Report. NPS/SIEN/NRR—2020/2101. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
The Vegetation Mapping Inventory is a cooperative effort by the Inventory and Monitoring Division of the National Park Service and the Biological Resource Division of the U.S. Geological Survey to classify, describe, and map vegetation communities in the national park units across the United States. As one of 12 inventories critical to the management of natural resources within the national park system, this information fills a wide variety of park management and stewardship needs. The Vegetation Map of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks was produced over a nine-year period (1999–2007) to describe and map the vegetation of the two southern Sierra Nevada national parks. Over 80,000 individual vegetation polygons were mapped to 166 vegetation classes. Vegetation delineations were based on photo interpretation of 1:15,840 scaled copy color infrared photography acquired during 2000 and 2001. Photo interpretation and automation were performed by Aerial Information Systems under subcontract to Environmental Systems Research Institute, who provided project management and final cartographic products. Development of the National Vegetation Classification Standard compliant mapping classification and accuracy assessment of the final map products, along with all associated field sampling, were performed by NPS ecologists at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. In order to maintain consistency among mapping products developed for the Sierra Nevada Network parks, we leveraged the floristic and mapping classifications developed for Yosemite National Park and Devils Postpile National Monument (Keeler-Wolf et al. 2012). Spatial accuracy of the resulting map products is equivalent to 1:24000 National Map Accuracy Standards. Overall map accuracy is 80% at the association level and 86% at the alliance level (based on 2,409 field assessments). The final version is cross walked to the USFS CALVEG classification to facilitate regional data sharing and synthesis. The final products include: ● Vegetation map of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, including adjacent lands located in the East Fork of the Kaweah River watershed ● Descriptions of each vegetation type ● Key to vegetation types ● Source imagery ● Ecological field plot data ● Photographs of ecological field plots and accuracy assessment plots ● Related data and metadata files ● Table relating mapped types to the floristic classification developed for Yosemite National Park ● Summary of mapping accuracy by type ● Annotated list of type names and codes used over the course of the project in Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and Yosemite National Parks
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Haultain, Sylvia; Reyes, Edward; Menke, John; Johnson, Deborah; Karavidas (Cline), Denise
- Date of Issue
- 2020-03
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- NRSS , SEKI , VMI
- Keywords
- plant inventory, vegetation classification, vegetation map
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Wetland Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Sparsely Vegetated Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Grassland/Herbaceous Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Shrubland Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Forest/Woodland Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Vegetation Complex