U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54603 2007 vector digital data USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project Denver, Colorado U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics A detailed report on how this data set was created is available to download from the Vegetation Mapping Program's Web site. The report discusses methods and results, and includes plant community descriptions and dichotomous keys, map classification and descriptions, and Accuracy Assessment contingency tables. http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/glac/glacaa.zip doi:10.5066/F7DJ5CKX The accuracy assessment (AA) for the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (WGIPP) was performed to estimate the attribute accuracy of the 1999 vegetation data set for Glacier National Park (Glacier). The 1999 mapping project was performed to describe Glacier's vegetation using the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) scheme. The AA was conducted to locate and document potential thematic errors (i.e., the assignment of an incorrect map class), specifically user's accuracy (suitability for a particular application) and producer's accuracy (conformance to production standards). The AA was performed only on map classes representing NVC natural/semi-natural vegetation types. The Glacier vegetation map was determined to have an overall AA of 87.9% (Kappa index of 87.4%). More detailed results are presented in the WGIPP project report, through the series of contingency tables (http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/vip/parks/glac.html). The geographic information system (GIS) data set was developed to show the geographic locations of the vegetation plots which were used during AA project. The data set's attribute table contains background information on each site's id code, location, sampling date, and NVC level 1, 2, and 3 codes and descriptions. The GIS shapefile contains point data features, projected to Universal Transverse Mercator zone 12 mapping coordinates, North American Datum 1983. The USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program (VMP) is a cooperative effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS) to classify, describe, and map existing vegetation of national park units for the Natural Resource Inventory and Monitoring Program. The goals of the WGIPP vegetation mapping project were to (1) adequately describe and map plant communities of WGIPP and (2) provide the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program, resource managers, and biological researchers with useful baseline vegetation information. 20030609 20051004 ground condition Complete As needed Glacier National Park and environs -114.386180 -113.226941 49.003969 48.241390 none vegetation plot accuracy assessment USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Glacier National Park National Vegetation Classification none Glacier National Park Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park United States of America Montana Flathead County Glacier County None Standardized National Vegetation Classification System vegetation classification alliance community association Kingdom Plantae none none USGS BRD Center for Biological Informatics USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping 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 UMESC Resource Mapping and Spatial Analysis Team Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.2.2.1350 Several accuracy checks were made against the automated data and the original reports or data sheets, during and after data entry. The center of each accuracy assessment plot was estimated using a global positioning system (GPS) receiver or topographic map. The mapping coordinates were recorded on data sheets, which were later entered into a digital database. The database was converted into a geographic information system (GIS) data set, containing point features. Data forms were filled out for each vegetation plot sampled. Each set of data sheets had a data record recorded for that site in the GIS data set. The locations of the vegetation plots were recorded using global positioning system (GPS) receivers. If a GPS reading wasn't possible, the location of the vegetation plot was estimated using a topographic map. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center National Park Service, Glacier National Park Parks Canada, Waterton Lakes National Park NatureServe Montana Natural Heritage Program 2007 database Denver, Colorado U.S. Geological Survey Map classification developed specifically for the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project. Includes crosswalk to the National Vegetation Classification System floristic and physiognomic levels (names and codes), NatureServe Ecological Systems, and U.S. Geological Survey Land Use and Land Cover Classification System (Level 2). The final report for this mapping project contains a detailed listing of this classification scheme, in Appendix I, Final Vegetation Classification of Waterton-Glacier IPP. http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/vip/parks/glac.html database 1999 ground condition WGIPP vegetation classification Map classification defining polygon data (vegetation and general land cover). National Spatial Data Infrastructure, Federal Geographic Data Committee, Vegetation Subcommittee 199706 online document Standards Vegetation Classification and Information Standards Reston, Virginia Federal Geographic Data Committee Federal Geographic Data Committee. 1997. Vegetation classification standard, FGDC-STD-005. http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/vegetation online document 1997 ground condition NVCS Physiognomic Classes (FGDC 1997) Standard vegetation classification system (physiognomic levels) used for classification structure U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630 Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54603 2007 geospatial database USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project Denver, Colorado U.S. Geological Survey, Center for Biological Informatics A detailed report on how this data set was created is available on the Web. The report contains background information on how the classification scheme was developed, the aerial photographs and how they were interpreted, and the accuracy assessment project. http://www.usgs.gov/core_science_systems/csas/vip/parks/glac.html 15840 geospatial database 1999 ground condition 1999 Veg. data for Glacier Used during the selection of sites to be surveyed. U.S. Geological Survey EROS Data Center Unknown digital database Sioux Falls, South Dakota EROS Data Center The National Elevation Dataset (NED) 1 Arc Second is a raster product assembled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). NED is designed to provide National elevation data in a seamless form with a consistent datum, elevation unit, and projection. Data corrections are made in the NED assembly process to minimize, but not eliminate, artifacts, perform edge matching, and fill sliver areas of missing data. NED has a resolution of one arc-second (approximately 30 meters) for the conterminous United States. http://gisdata.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.htm digital database unknown publication date 1 NED Data Provided elevation data for the study area. National Park Service, Glacier National Park 2007 vector digital data West Glacier, Montana National Park Service, Glacier National Park This dataset contains the current trail network within Glacier National Park, Montana. These data represent the 2006 revision to official and mapped hiking trails in Glacier. The dataset is based on the initial USGS 7.5 minute topographic mapping that was published in 1966-1968. However, since 1997 Glacier National Park staff have re-mapped 400+ miles of Glacier's 700+ mile trail network using Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Additionally, some rectification of vectors was accomplished using imagery cited in the source information contained in the data set's metadata. http://nrdata.nps.gov/GLAC/glacdata/ 24000 digital database 2007 publication date hiking trails Provided background information on hiking trails in Glacier National Park. U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program Environmental Systems Research Institute National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, University of California, Santa Barbara The Nature Conservancy 199411 digital report Denver, Colorado U.S. Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program The objectives of this report are to provide the theoretical framework for accuracy assessment and to make initial recommendations as well as alternative procedures for accuracy assessment of the NPS/NBS Vegetation Mapping Project. The procedures must be scientifically sound and yet practical to implement. The core recommendation is to utilize a basic procedure that is statistically rigorous and consistent with traditional methodologies. However, it is recognized that operational constraints may preclude a complete implementation. For this reason, some alternatives for implementing the preferred scenario are provided with the expectation that operational testing during the prototype phase of the project will be necessary to define the utility and reliability of the alternative procedures. http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/standards/NPSVI_Accuracy_Assessment_Guidelines_ver2.pdf digital report unknown publication date AA Procedures Procedural guidelines for conducting an accuracy assessment. Sampling efforts associated with the accuracy assessment (AA) were conducted over a three-year period. To prepare for this project it was decided that sampling should occur in phases. Phase 1 focused on areas that were relatively easy to access, in the northeast portion of Glacier National Park (GNP). Areas selected for Phases II and III were based on a cost-surface analysis. The cost-surface analysis modeled accessibility throughout GNP along a continuum of easy to extremely difficult to access areas. Slopes >65% were considered absolute barriers, along with perennial streams and lakes. Target areas included hiking trails, roads, campsites, and cabins. Areas where trails or roads crossed a perennial stream were considered passable. The final cumulative costs were represented using values that ranged from 0 (very easy to access) to 100 (inaccessible). Due to the difficult nature of accessing the higher values, AA vegetation plot site selection targeted areas with cumulative cost values <25. The only time when values >25 were considered, was to access and evaluate rare map classes. AA Procedures hiking trails 1 NED Data 1999 Veg. data for Glacier 2002 Field crews were provided with listings of GPS coordinates of their accuracy assessment (AA) sites along with field maps. The crews navigated to their sampling sites, then established AA observation plots within the minimum mapping unit (MMU) area. A number of physical characteristics were recorded for each site (e.g., location, slope, aspect, elevation) along with land cover information (e.g., dominant and subdominant vegetation, percent cover). Detailed descriptions on how these plots were established and sampled is available in the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park mapping project report, available online. WGIPP vegetation classification NVCS Physiognomic Classes (FGDC 1997) 2003 through 2005 The field data were then automated, and brought into the software programs ArcView GIS version 3.3 and ArcGIS version 9.x. Information collected in the field was compared to those developed by the photo interpreters (digital data and photo overlays). Results were used to determine; spatial GPS coordinate errors, map automation errors, Unclassified vegetation type on field data sheet errors, incomplete crosswalk between map classes and vegetation type errors, questionable field calls, and inclusion errors (areas missed as they were below the minimum mapping unit). Results of this analysis are available in the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park mapping project report, available online. 2005 through 2007 Vector Entity point 918 Universal Transverse Mercator 12 0.999600 -111.000000 0.000000 500000.000000 0.000000 coordinate pair 0.000001 0.000001 meters North American Datum of 1983 Geodetic Reference System 80 6378137.000000 298.257222 glacaa Shapefile attribute table. Attribute information for the accuracy assessment plot location data for Glacier National Park. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project FID Internal feature number. These numbers are automatically generated when a shapefile is created. They are used by the software to track individual polygon features stored in shapefiles. Most software program will not display these numbers when the data set's attribute table is displayed. ESRI Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. Shape Feature geometry. ESRI Coordinates defining the features. AA_SITE Character string identification codes, used to identify individual sampling site. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project Random numbers(IDs) defining the features. NVC_1CODE Character codes representing vegetation types, used to identify the primary field classification call. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project NVC Code National Vegetation Classification Standard NVC_1NAME Detailed descriptions of the nvc_1code entries. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project NVC Code National Vegetation Classification Standard NVC_2CODE Character codes representing vegetation types, used to identify the alternate field classification. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project NVC Code National Vegetation Classification Standard NVC_2NAME Detailed descriptions of the nvc_2code entries. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project NVC Code National Vegetation Classification Standard NVC_3CODE Character codes representing vegetation types, used to identify field classification calls within the minimum mapping unit area of site. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project NVC Code National Vegetation Classification Standard NVC_3NAME Detailed descriptions of the nvc_3code entries. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project NVC Code National Vegetation Classification Standard PROJECT Name of the project the vegetation plots are associated with. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project Waterton-Glacier IPP Veg Map Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Map USGS-NPS VMP LOCATION Name of the park containing the vegetation plot, written using National Park Service 4-character codes. National Park Service GLAC Glacier National Park USGS-NPS VMP X_EASTING The east/west (longitude) coordinate of the center of the vegetation plot. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project Coordinates defining the features. Y_NORTHING The north/south (latitude) coordinate of the center of the vegetation plot. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project Coordinates defining the features. PLOT_DATE The calendar date each plot was sampled, recorded as YYYYMMDD (Y=year, M=month, and D=day). Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Vegetation Mapping Project Dates defining the features. 20030609 20051004 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/glac.html Internet Access None 20070718 20100526 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