Vegetation - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Vegetation Mapping Project [ds984]

High resolution vegetation polygons mapped by the National Park Service. The Vegetation Map of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks was produced over an eight year period (2000-2007) to describe and map the vascular plant associations of the two southern Sierra Nevada national parks. Over 80,000 individual vegetation polygons are mapped to 172 vegetation classes. Overall spatial accuracy of the resulting map products is equivalent to 1:24000 National Map Accuracy Standards. Vegetation delineations are based on photo interpretation of 1:15,840 scale color infrared photography acquired by Pacific Western Technologies (PWT) during two missions conducted in July of 2000 and 2001. Photo interpretation and automation, including rectification to the 1:24000 Digital Photo Orthoquads (DOQQs) was performed by Aerial Information Systems (AIS) under subcontract to Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), who provided project management and final cartographic products. Development of the National Vegetation Classification Standard (NVCS) compliant mapping classification and accuracy assessment of the final map products, along with all associated field sampling, was performed by NPS ecologists at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Overall map accuracy is 80% at the association level and 86% at the alliance level (based on 2409 field assessments). This version also contains CALVEG crosswalks used by the California U.S. Forest Service. The Vegetation Mapping Inventory (VMI) is a cooperative effort by the Inventory and Monitoring Division (IMD) of the National Park Service (NPS) and the Biological Resource Division of the U.S. The minimum mapping unit (MMU) is 1/2 hectare.