Dataset Identification:
Resource Abstract:
- description: The Ouray National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR) was established in 1960 as an inviolate sanctuary for migratory birds
and any other management purpose. In 2000, the Refuge published a Comprehensive Conservation Plan in accordance with the 1997
National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act. The plan shifted the Refuge s emphasis toward ecosystem-based management of all
resident and migratory species. Refuge and Regional staff asked that a detailed and accurate vegetation map be developed for
planning and for managing the Refuge effectively. The Bureau of Reclamation s Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Group
(RSGIS) was contracted by US Fish and Wildlife Service to map vegetation and land-use classes at ONWR using remote sensing
and GIS technologies originally developed for the National Park Service s Vegetation Mapping Program. The diverse vegetation
and complicated land-use history of Ouray National Wildlife Refuge presented a unique challenge to mapping vegetation at the
plant association level of the US National Vegetation Classification. To meet this challenge, the project consisted of two
linked phases: (1) vegetation classification and (2) digital vegetation map production. To classify the vegetation, we sampled
representative plots located throughout the 14,025-acre (5676 ha) project area. Analysis of the plot data using ordination
and clustering techniques yielded 58 distinct plant associations. To produce the digital map, we used a combination of new
color-infrared aerial photography and fieldwork to interpret the complex patterns of vegetation and land-use at ONWR. Eighty-one
map units were developed and the vegetation units matched to the corresponding plant associations. The interpreted map data
were converted to a GIS database using ArcInfo. Draft maps created from the vegetation classification were field-tested and
revised before an independent ecologist conducted an assessment of the map s accuracy. The accuracy assessment revealed an
overall database accuracy of 75.2%. Products developed for the Ouray National Wildlife Refuge Vegetation Mapping Project include
the final report, vegetation key, map accuracy assessment results and contingency table, and photo interpretation key; spatial
database coverages of the vegetation map, vegetation plots, accuracy assessment sites, and flight line index; digital photos
(scanned from 35mm slides) of each vegetation type; graphics of all spatial database coverages; Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant
metadata for all spatial database coverages and field data. 12 In addition, the Refuge and USFWS copies of this report contain
original aerial photographs of the project area; digital data files and hard copy data sheets of the observation points, vegetation
field plots, and accuracy assessment sites; original slides of each vegetation type.; abstract: The Ouray National Wildlife
Refuge (ONWR) was established in 1960 as an inviolate sanctuary for migratory birds and any other management purpose. In 2000,
the Refuge published a Comprehensive Conservation Plan in accordance with the 1997 National Wildlife Refuge Improvement Act.
The plan shifted the Refuge s emphasis toward ecosystem-based management of all resident and migratory species. Refuge and
Regional staff asked that a detailed and accurate vegetation map be developed for planning and for managing the Refuge effectively.
The Bureau of Reclamation s Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Group (RSGIS) was contracted by US Fish and Wildlife
Service to map vegetation and land-use classes at ONWR using remote sensing and GIS technologies originally developed for
the National Park Service s Vegetation Mapping Program. The diverse vegetation and complicated land-use history of Ouray National
Wildlife Refuge presented a unique challenge to mapping vegetation at the plant association level of the US National Vegetation
Classification. To meet this challenge, the project consisted of two linked phases: (1) vegetation classification and (2)
digital vegetation map production. To classify the vegetation, we sampled representative plots located throughout the 14,025-acre
(5676 ha) project area. Analysis of the plot data using ordination and clustering techniques yielded 58 distinct plant associations.
To produce the digital map, we used a combination of new color-infrared aerial photography and fieldwork to interpret the
complex patterns of vegetation and land-use at ONWR. Eighty-one map units were developed and the vegetation units matched
to the corresponding plant associations. The interpreted map data were converted to a GIS database using ArcInfo. Draft maps
created from the vegetation classification were field-tested and revised before an independent ecologist conducted an assessment
of the map s accuracy. The accuracy assessment revealed an overall database accuracy of 75.2%. Products developed for the
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge Vegetation Mapping Project include the final report, vegetation key, map accuracy assessment
results and contingency table, and photo interpretation key; spatial database coverages of the vegetation map, vegetation
plots, accuracy assessment sites, and flight line index; digital photos (scanned from 35mm slides) of each vegetation type;
graphics of all spatial database coverages; Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata for all spatial database
coverages and field data. 12 In addition, the Refuge and USFWS copies of this report contain original aerial photographs of
the project area; digital data files and hard copy data sheets of the observation points, vegetation field plots, and accuracy
assessment sites; original slides of each vegetation type.
Citation
- Title Ouray National Wildlife Refuge Vegetation Mapping Project.
-
- creation Date
2018-05-20T19:17:29.109267
Resource language:
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Metadata data stamp:
2018-08-06T20:11:06Z
Resource Maintenance Information
- maintenance or update frequency:
- notes: This metadata record was generated by an xslt transformation from a dc metadata record; Transform by Stephen M. Richard, based
on a transform by Damian Ulbricht. Run on 2018-08-06T20:11:06Z
Metadata contact
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pointOfContact
- organisation Name
CINERGI Metadata catalog
-
- Contact information
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- Address
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- electronic Mail Address cinergi@sdsc.edu
Metadata language
eng
Metadata character set encoding:
utf8
Metadata standard for this record:
ISO 19139 Geographic Information - Metadata - Implementation Specification
standard version:
2007
Metadata record identifier:
urn:dciso:metadataabout:ae3bcb70-d4a4-440a-89d7-d3906367140c
Metadata record format is ISO19139 XML (MD_Metadata)