Northern Colorado Plateau Network, Inventory and Monitoring Program 20090630 vector digital data http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/arch/archgeodata.zip doi:10.5066/F7TT4NWC The plot point contains 589 point locations of field plot and observation data used by, and collected for, the vegetation mapping project for Arches National Park. Plots and observation points were located subjectively in representative vegetation throughout the park. Field crews decided where and when to use observation points or vegetation plots to sample the vegetation. Vegetation plots (333) were placed in stands judged by field crews to represent legitimate vegetation types that could be classified to the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system using standard multivariate analysis techniques. Observation points were placed in stands (1) if the vegetation was highly altered and therefore not classifiable, (2) to provide information about the distribution of common vegetation types adequately sampled in vegetation plots, or (3) if the stand represented a unique vegetation type that was too small to hold a 400m2 sample plot (e.g., seeps, hanging gardens). Plot and observation locations were collected in the summer of 2003 and were GPSed (primarily using recreational GPS units), coordinates noted on the field sheets and then transcribed into the MS Access Plots database. Field photos are associated with each plot. The AA point displays the 792 accuracy assessment (AA) points visited in the summer of 2006 as part of the vegetation mapping project. The points were randomly selected, stratified by the map units used for vegetation mapping and further screened so as not to fall on inaccessible isolated mesa tops or vertical canyon walls. The coordinates were uploaded to Trimble and Garmin hand-held GPS receivers so that ecologists could navigate to them in the field and the locations where data were collected were updated. Some AA points fell on ecotones and two sets of data were recorded on the evenly-split sites. AA points that fell along polygon edges sometimes did not represent the entire polygon well and some AA points fell on small patches of vegetation that were different than the community in the larger polygon. Eight points were thrown out after analysis because they represented non-vegetated areas not intended for AA sampling. Field photos are associated with each plot. Only points within the NPS boundary were visited; the accuracy of the vegetation map outside the park boundary is untested. Data were collected in plots and at observation points to characterize the vegetation, while accuracy assessment plots were visited to verify the mapper's interpretation of the vegetation communities at Arches National Park. These points show the location of plot, observation points and accuracy assessment points visited at Arches National Park. The intended use of all data in the park's GIS library is to support diverse park activities including planning, management, maintenance, research, and interpretation. 20030501 20030831 ground condition Complete None planned Arches National Park and environs -109.733859 -109.467350 38.850288 38.601503 National Park Service Theme Category Thesaurus Vegetation ISO 19115 Topic Category biota None Plots Observations Vegetation Field data Accuracy assessment Points None Arches National Park ARCH Grand County Utah UT Colorado Plateau National Park Service NPS USA National Park System Unit Name Thesaurus Arches National Park National Park System Unit Code Thesaurus ARCH None Standardized National Vegetation Classification System vegetation classification alliance community association Kingdom Plantae None Acknowledgment of the USGS-RMMC and the National Park Service would be appreciated in products derived from these data. Any person using the information presented here should fully understand the data collection and compilation process before beginning their analysis/use. The burden of determining fitness for use lies with the user. Northern Colorado Plateau Network, Inventory and Monitoring Program Helen Thomas Data Manager mailing

P.O. Box 848

Moab UT 84532 435-719-2340 helen_thomas@nps.gov J. Coles, L. Hahn, A. Schwarzbach, P. Williams, B. Condie and S. Topp Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.3.1.1850 Coles, J., A. Tendick, G. Manis, A. Wight, G. Wakefield, J. Von Loh, and A. Evenden 20090630 report http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/ncpn/ Network staff have ground checked and verified all features to the best of their knowledge. GIS personnel verified all features and attributes. There are no duplicate features present (plots where fuels data were collected are intentionally duplicated, as are hanging gardens). This data contains all the observation, plot points and accuracy assessment points visited for the Arches National Park Vegetation Mapping Project. This data was collected using recreational grade GPS receivers (generally Garmins). A meters error reading was recorded when applicable. Recreational GPS receivers generally have horizontal errors of 2-15 meters (less than 40 meters). GPS accuracy varies for each plot. Error values were recorded on the plot form. The AA data was collected using primarily mapping grade GPS receivers (generally Trimbles, Garmins as backups). A meters error reading was recorded when applicable. GPS accuracy varies for each plot. Recreational GPS receivers (Garmins) generally have horizontal errors of 3-15 meters (less than 40 meters). Error values were recorded on the plot form. Standard GPS Elevation Error USGS varies raster digital data 24,000 CD-ROM unknown Imagery date DRG Digital Raster Graphics were used for field maps. Field data collection was accomplished with the use of recreational GPS units (generally Garmins). Field crews used their judgment for the placement of plot and observation locations. 20030101 AA field data collection was accomplished with the use of mapping and recreational GPS units (generally Trimbles, Garmins as backups). Field crews navigated to pre-determined points to evaluate the vegetation. Location values were updated in the field. unknown Data was entered into the NCPN Plots (MS Access) database for Arches NP, quality checked, and shapefiles were created from the data in the database. unknown Shapefiles and database data (for both initial plot collection and accuracy assessment) was migrated to a personal file-based geodatabase format. 20090427 Vector Entity point 1381 Universal Transverse Mercator 12 0.999600 -111.000000 0.000000 500000.000000 0.000000 coordinate pair 0.000100 0.000100 meters North American Datum of 1983 Geodetic Reference System 80 6378137.000000 298.257222 fcl_Veg_Points Feature Class National Park Service OBJECTID Internal feature number. ESRI Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. Shape Feature geometry. ESRI Coordinates defining the features. Plot_Code Unique Plot ID code NPS four letter park code plus unique number Unique ID Pnts_Type Point type (accuracy assessment point, observation point or plot point) NPS Accuracy Assessment Point AA Point NPS Observation Point Observation Point NPS Plot Point Plot Point NPS Edit_Date Date of any edits or updates to attributes. National Park Service Edit dates. rc_VegPoints_LocationInfo Relationship Class National Park Service Edit_Notes Notes about any edits or updates made to a point. National Park Service Edit notes. OBJECT_ID - Object ID - ESRI automatically generated unique ID. SHAPE - Geometry - ESRI automatically generated geometry type. PLOT_CODE - Text - Unique plot code created for each location visited. Pnts_Type - Long Integer (subtypes): Type of point 1 = Plot_Point; 2 = Observation Point; 3 = AA_Point; 4 = Fuels_Point (empty). Edit_Date - Text - Date of any edits or updates to attributes. Edit_Notes - Text - Notes about any edits or updates made to a point. Unknown. USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis USGS-NPS Vegetation Characterization Program Coordinator mailing and physical address

Denver Federal Center, Building 810, MS 302

Denver Colorado 80225 (303) 202-4220 303-202-4219 gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov Downloadable Data The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. These data and related graphics (if available) are not legal documents and are not intended to be used as such. The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived. It is the responsibility of the data user to use the data appropriately and consistent within the limitations of geospatial data in general and these data in particular. Any related graphics (if available) are intended to aid the data user in acquiring relevant data; it is not approriate to use the related graphics as data. The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from an U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service servers and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the utility of the data on another system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this metadata report does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U. S. Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey and National Park Service. HTML http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/vip/parks/arch.html Internet Access None 20091005 20100512 USGS/CSS/Core Science Analytics and Synthesis USGS-NPS Vegetation Characterization Program Coordinator mailing and physical address

Denver Federal Center, Building 810, MS 302

Denver Colorado 80225 (303) 202-4220 303-202-4219 gs-b-npsveg@usgs.gov FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001.1-1999 http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/metadata/index.html