U.S. Geological Survey Department of the Interior 1998 database and report USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Rock Creek Park Denver, CO USGS Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/rocr/rocraa.zip doi:10.5066/F7M61H70 The accuracy assessment field work was performed in 1998 to verify the accuracy of the vegetation communities spatial data developed by the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program for Rock Creek Park. The data points were randomly chosen using ArcView random sampling routine according to vegetation association over the project area according to protocols developed by the Program. Points were located by GPS navigation and the community information was collected at the point, without knowledge of the attributes of the vegetation spatial data. To verify the accuracy of the mapped vegetation communities at Rock Creek Park. 1998 Source of data collection Complete None planned Rock Creek Park, Washington D.C. and environs. -77.113672 -76.968615 38.996259 38.903912 None National Park Service U.S. Geological Survey vegetation classification accuracy assessment sampling plots alliance association None Washington D.C. Rock Creek Park USA None National Vegetation Classification System United States Department of the Interior Biological Resources Division and National Park Service 19941101 Version 1 Classification System USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Final Draft Redlands, California ESRI Prepared by the Nature Conservancy United States Department of the Interior Biological Resources Division and National Park Service 19941101 Version 1 Classification System USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Final Draft Redlands, California ESRI Prepared by the Nature Conservancy See "Photo Interpretation Report, BRD/NPS Vegetation and Inventory and Mapping Program, Rock Creek Park," October 1, 1998 http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/rocr/rocrpirpt.pdf Complete Vegetation Alliances of the National Vegetation Classification System (October 1995) Kingdom Plantae None Any person using the information presented here should fully understand the data collection and compilation procedures, as described in these metadata, before beginning analysis. The burden for determining fitness for use lies entirely with the user. For purposes of publication or dissemination, citation or credit should be given to the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service. 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 http://www1.usgs.gov/vip/rocr/rocraa.pdf 225 kbyte file showing vegetation associations and location of accuracy assessment points PDF The attributes for the accuracy assessment were recorded in the field in 1998. Vegetation associations were identified based on the field key and plant identification. If additional communities were found within a 50 meter radius of the plot center, they were recorded as well All attributes are codes that correspond to vegetation communities and have been checked for topographical and logical errors. All points were collected and analyzed. Several points fell outside the mapping area, so were discarded. X,Y UTM coordinates representing each of the 265 plots were collected by P-code PLGR (Precise Lightweight GPS Receiver) receivers, with an accuracy ranging from +/- 10 m. to +/- 30 m. based on 60 second averaging at each point. Not applicable Field None Accuracy Assessment Data points were located by use of a PLGR GPS receiver. Vegetation communities were identified on the basis of a dichotomous field key and plant species present. Lab None Accuracy Assessment Accuracy assessment points were compiled into an ARCINFO point coverage and intersected with the vegetation community coverage. The resulting INFO file was exported into a text file, imported into a spreadsheet, and the attributes from the accuracy assessment and the spatial data were compared. If the attributes did not compare, an analysis of the mismatch was made and either the AA attribute or the map attribute was changed based on identification of the community on the aerial photo. U.S. Geological Survey - Biological Resources Division U.S. National Park Service Department of the Interior 199411 procedures document Denver, CO USGS, Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics Prepared by: Aerial Information Systems; Redlands, CA and The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA under contract from U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division and National Park Service. electronic document 199411 Present publication date Accuracy Assessment Procedures Document This document established the procedures and protocols for the accuracy assessment at Rock Creek Park. U.S. Geological Survey Department of the Interior 19961029 report USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Rock Creek Park Denver, CO USGS, Biological Resources Division, Center for Biological Informatics Created in large part by Aerial Information Systems Redlands, CA under contract rom USGS/BRD/CBI. Disc 19950725 ground condition Spatial data of vegetation communities for Rock Creek Park. The vegetation spatial data were tested for accuracy with the AA data. The accuracy assessment field work was performed in 1998 to verify the accuracy of the vegetation communities spatial data developed by the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program for Rock Creek Park. The data points were randomly chosen using ArcView random sampling routine according to vegetation association over the project area according to protocols developed by the Program. Points were located by GPS navigation and the community information was collected at the point, without knowledge of the attributes of the vegetation spatial data. Spatial data of vegetation communities for Rock Creek Park. Accuracy Assessment Procedure Document 1998 The ecology field sites were digitized to indicate the area for which a TNC ecologist conducted an ecological field sampling. Point Entity point 264 Universal Transverse Mercator 18 0.999600 -75.000000 0.000000 500000.000000 0.000000 coordinate pair 1 1 Meters North American Datum of 1983 Geodedic Reference System 80 6378137.000000 298.257222 North American Vertical Datum of 1988 1 Feet Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates rocraa Shapefile attribute table USGS FID Internal feature number. ESRI Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. Shape Feature geometry. ESRI. Coordinates defining the features. AREA Area of feature in internal units squared. ESRI. Area is always zero for point coverages. Values are automatically generated. PERIMETER Perimeter of feature in internal units. ESRI. Perimeter is always zero for point coverages. Values are automatically generated. AA_ Internal feature number. ESRI. Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. AA_ID User-defined feature number. ESRI. Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. PLOTNUMBER Accuracy assessment site number. USGS Accuracy assessment number. OBSERVER Names of the Observer Who Collected the Data USGS Textual oberver's last name. ACCURACY Unknown field created by originator but not documented. USGS Textual. TOPOGRAPHY General Position of the Plot on the Landscape USGS Textual of topography type description. ASPECT General Aspect of the Point in Degrees USGS Textual of aspect type. VEGASSOC Vegetation Association. USGS Determined by the species and their relative dominance in the canopy as well as other veg. Characteristics. ALTERNATE_ Alternate Vetation Association. USGS Some of them were similar enough to be confusing. NEARBY_VA Unknown field created by originator but not documented. USGS Textual. MAJOR_SPEC Unknown field created by originator but not documented. USGS Textual. CANOPY_CLO Canopy Closure. USGS Numerical 5% increments. RATIONALE Rationale for choice, if there was any doubt. USGS Textual. GPS_DATE Date of GPS Point Collected USGS Numerical GPS date. FILT_POS Unknown field created by originator but not documented. USGS Numerical. X_COORD Easting coordinate of site location. USGS Easting coordinate. Y_COORD Northing coordinate of site location. USGS Northing coordinate. POLYGONID Unknown field created by originator but not documented USGS UMESC Numerical. SCALE Unknown field created by originator but not documented. USGS UMESC Numerical. ANGLE Unknown field created by originator but not documented. USGS UMESC Numerical. The National Vegetation Classification Standard is organized hierarchically to support conservation and resource stewardship applications across multiple scales. The upper levels of the hierarchy are based on the physical form or structure of the vegetation (physiognomy) and have been refined from the international standards developed by the United nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The two most detailed levels of the hierarchy are based on the species composition of existing vegetation (floristics) and reflect the phyto-sociological standards that were originally developed by European ecologists. The vegetation classification is continually advanced through the collection and analysis of new field data and will be greatly strengthened during the course of the USGS-NPS mapping efforts. Data file attributes include species, alliance, community element, and land cover. Grossman, D. Et al. 1994. National Park Service/National Biological Service Vegetation Mapping Project, Standardized National Vegetation Classification System 209 pp. 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/rocr.html Internet Access None 200102 20100608 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