7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Federal Geographic Data Committee Vegetation Subcommittee Coordination Group Briefing July 11, 2006 Ralph Holiday Crawford, Ph.D. USDA Forest Service R&D, National Program Leader Subcommittee Chair

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing FGDC National Vegetation Classification Standard Overview Purpose and Scope History NVCS Today

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Purpose and Scope

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Promotes the coordinated use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data on a national basis. OMB Circular A-16 Purpose and Scope

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing FGDC National Vegetation Classification Standard Purpose –Facilitate data-sharing –Develop a cross-walking standard for vegetation data and information –Builds on existing classification systems Purpose and Scope

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing FGDC National Vegetation Classification Standard Scope –Mandatory for all vegetation data gathered using federal funds. –Cross-walking requirement applies to: Vegetation plot data Vegetation types (taxonomic units) Vegetation map units Purpose and Scope

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing History

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing FGDC National Vegetation Classification Standard Established a physiognomic/floristic vegetation hierarchy. History

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing FGDC National Vegetation Classification Standard Established a physiognomic/floristic vegetation hierarchy. Established a content standard for the physiognomic levels. –A list of vegetation types. History

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing FGDC National Vegetation Classification Standard Established a physiognomic/floristic vegetation hierarchy. Established a content standard for the physiognomic levels. –A list of vegetation types. Initiated the development of a process standard for the floristic levels. –How to define floristic vegetation types. History

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing FGDC-NVC Partnerships U.S. Forest Service (lead agency) * Natural Resources Conservation Service * U.S. Geological Survey- BRD/NBII * U.S. National Park Service * U.S. Bureau of Land Management * U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service * National Aeronautics and Space Administration * Department of Defense * Environmental Protection Agency * NatureServe * Ecological Society of America (Vegetation Classification Panel)

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing NVC Milestones NVC Hierarchy completed by TNC (modified UNESCO 1973) FGDC adopts hierarchy as federal standard: Complete set of physiognomic units (content standard); Provisional set of floristic units ESA Panel is tasked to create a set of guidelines and peer review process for floristic units Partners test the hierarchy (USFS, NatureServe) and request revisions. Canadian partners begin collaboration on a Canadian NVC Hierarchy Revisions Working Group to explore revisions to upper levels ESA Panel completes its guidelines; FGDC begins work on standards for floristic units, based on dynamic content standard HRWG completes its draft revisions, FGDC incorporates those revisions into standards process for all units. Mexican partners begin collaboration on Mexican NVC. History

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Hierarchy Revisions Working Group INTERNATIONAL British Columbia Ministry of Forests NatureServe-Canada Ministère des Resources Naturelles, Québec NatureServe, Latin America Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico Director of the COROLAB, Venezuela UNITED STATES U.S. Forest Service (co-chair) NatureServe (co-chair) University of Oklahoma Bureau of Land Management California Department of Fish and Game University of North Carolina - Botanical Garden History

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing NVCS Today

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing NVCS Today 2006 FGDC revising floristic and physiognomic parts of NVC standard Federal agencies are working with the provisional NVC Nature Serve continues to maintain provisional set of associations and alliances: ESA VegBank plot database now operational. ESA Panel developing Peer Review Process. Current Status / Timeline

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Revision of the FGDC Vegetation Classification Standard Resolve identified problems with the physiognomic hierarchy. Current Status / Timeline

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Revision of the FGDC Vegetation Classification Standard Resolve identified problems with the physiognomic hierarchy. Complete the process standard for classifying alliances and associations. Current Status / Timeline

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Revision of the FGDC Vegetation Classification Standard Resolve identified problems with the physiognomic hierarchy. Complete the process standard for classifying alliances and associations. Establish all levels of the FGDC hierarchy as a “dynamic content standard.” Current Status / Timeline

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Implementation Needs Databases (e.g., VegBank, Biotics, Peer Review Tools) have been built in support of NVCS, but need further development to fill in gaps. -prototypes of test tools are in development Support Needs

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Implementation Needs Databases (e.g., VegBank, Biotics, Peer Review Tools) have been built in support of NVCS, but need further development to fill in gaps. -prototypes of test tools are in development A large backlog of vegetation types will need to be peer reviewed to begin implementation of the FGDC Standard. Support Needs

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Implementation Needs Databases (e.g., VegBank, Biotics, Peer Review Tools) have been built in support of NVCS, but need further development to fill in gaps. -prototypes of test tools are in development A large backlog of vegetation types will need to be peer reviewed to begin implementation of the FGDC Standard. Peer review and data management for the dynamic content standard will require continuity of funding (move away from an ad-hoc funded collaboration). Support Needs

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Timeline for FGDC Standard July 2006 – Review of draft standard by FGDC agencies and partners. Oct 2006 – Address review comments. Nov 2006 – Submit final to Standards Working Grp. Early 2007 – Public Review. Late 2007 – Approval by Coordination Group. Later 2007 – Endorsement by Steering Committee and beyond – Implementation. Current Status / Timeline

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Federal Geographic Data Committee Vegetation Subcommittee Ralph Holiday Crawford, Ph.D.

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Proposed FGDC Vegetation Hierarchy (example) Vegetated Natural/Semi-natural Physiognomic Class Forest and Woodland SubclassTemperate Forest and Woodland FormationTemperate Evergreen Broadleaf and Conifer Forest Phyto-geographic-Floristic DivisionSoutheastern North American Evergreen Broadleaf and Conifer Forest Macrogroup Southern Pine Forest GroupShortleaf Pine - Loblolly Pine - Oak Forest Floristic Alliance Pinus taeda - Pinus echinata Alliance AssociationPinus taeda/Symplocos tinctoria-Morella cerifera- Vaccinium elliotii Association Current Status / Timeline

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Dynamic Content Standard Initiates an innovative approach to streamline the FGDC standards process to revise the list of vegetation types. The classification content would be maintained by an authorized body with oversight from a national peer review board. Requires databases for vegetation types, plot data, and peer review tracking. –Prototypes have been developed by Nature Serve and the ESA Vegetation Classification Panel. Current Status / Timeline

7/11/2006FGDC Vegetation Subcommittee Briefing Changes to the FGDC Hierarchy Move Natural vs Cultural vegetation distinction to top of hierarchy. Reduce and revise physiognomic levels. Add new mid floristic levels that reflect broad phyto-geographic affinities. Current Status / Timeline