USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

Home/ Overview/ Science Programs/ Data Library/ Products and Publications/States/ Rivers/Teachers and Students/ Links/ Contact/ Search

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), has implemented the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program (VMP) to classify, describe, and map vegetation communities for most park units within the NPS. Products are created specifically for each park and are not published in the general literature.

In 2001, the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center completed the Voyageurs National Park (VOYA) Vegetation Mapping Project, one of the earliest and largest parks to be mapped.

Publication of the methodology and results in peer-reviewed scientific journals would enhance the perceived value and results of the mapping program; publication of technical manuals for the park would further the application of these standards for ongoing park management.

Five products will be produced in collaboration between USGS, NPS, and NatureServe and their constituents:

1. A scientific article that presents the vegetation classification, map and its usefulness for understanding the ecosystems and dynamics of VOYA.
2. A scientific article of VOYA that presents the standards for the vegetation map, including mapping protocols, accuracy assessment, and spatial applications.
3. A technical field manual that would contain a key to the vegetation types at VOYA, a description of each type, and the ecological settings of the types (toposequences).
4. A technical report that would demonstrate the ongoing resource applications of the classification and map for wildlife surveys and park management at VOYA.
5. A scientific and technical presentation of vegetation classification, map and its usefulness of VOYA at a NPS orientated professional meeting (e.g. George Wright Society).

UMESC Contact:

Kevin Hop - Principal Investigator
(608) 783-7550 ext. 46
kevin_hop@usgs.gov

NatureServe Contact:

Don Faber-Langendoen – Ecologist
(315) 673-0921
don_faber-langendoen@natureserve.org