Values for area of sustainable forest habitat for each species were obtained as the predicted occupied proportion of each 900 square meter pixel (i.e., occupancy probability x 900) within all forest patches deemed large enough to harbor a sustainable population of the species. The area required for a sustainable population of each species was derived from credible intervals associated with population trends from historical (1966-2015) BBS data (Sauer and others, 2017). For each silvicolous bird species in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, we assumed the minimum sustainable population was the number of birds needed to ensure ≤1% probability that the population would be extirpated (i.e., drop below a quasi-extinction threshold) during a 100-year period wherein annual population change was randomly selected from the credible interval associated with each species’ population trend. We used the mean of 500 simulation replicates conducted in R (Version 3.4.4; https://www.r-project.org/) as the presumed minimum sustainable population for each species. We arbitrarily set the quasi-extinction threshold at 25 breeding pairs. Because species with credible intervals associated with their trend estimates that were inclusively positive never declined in population, by default these species had a minimum sustainable population of 25 pairs.

Values for area of all occupied habitat were only obtained for species whose occupancy models predicted a marked proportion of the species' population was likely present in non-forest habitats.

Values for area of all occupied habitat were only obtained for species whose occupancy models predicted a marked proportion of the species' population was likely present in non-forest habitats.

Values for area of occupied habitat by each species were obtained as the predicted occupied proportion of each 900 square meter pixel (i.e., occupancy probability x 900) for all habitats, except permanent water, within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley Bird Conservation Region.

Values for area of occupied habitat by each species were obtained as the predicted occupied proportion of each 900 square meter pixel (i.e., occupancy probability x 900) for all habitats, except permanent water, within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley Bird Conservation Region.

Values for predicted probabilities of avian species occupancy were determined using colonization-extinction models (MacKenzie and others, 2003) as implemented in R (Version 3.4.4; https://www.r-project.org/) via the ‘colext’ function of the Unmarked package (Version 0.12-0; Fiske and Chandler 2011). Performance of a null model (without covariates) and 153 additional models that assessed the effects of geographic coordinates and habitat context covariates were evaluated using Akaike information criteria (AIC; Burnham and Anderson, 2002). When more than one model had substantial support, their respective model weights were used to spatially predict occupancy relative to covariate influence. Predictive model covariates and weights are provided in Appendix 4 (Twedt and Mini, 2020).

Based on forest patch area, location, and hydrologic influence, we ranked the purported need of forest patches for additional conservation-protection. Qualities for higher ranking included forest patches with & greater than 2000 ha of core-forest that was more than 250 m from an edge, forest patches within high priority areas for reforestation, and forest patches with less propensity for flooding. Digital data are provided for: 1. Boundary of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley study area. 2. Forest cover (circa 2015) used to for determination of forest area in need of conservation protection. 3. The conservation estate (circa 2019) that had conservation protection by virtue of ownership, easement, or servitude. 4. Reforestation priority areas used to identify location of forests with increased need for forest protection. 5. Priority of forest areas for increased conservation protection.

Based on forest patch area, location, and hydrologic influence, we ranked the purported need of forest patches for additional conservation-protection. Qualities for higher ranking included forest patches with & greater than 2000 ha of core-forest that was more than 250 m from an edge, forest patches within high priority areas for reforestation, and forest patches with less propensity for flooding. Digital data are provided for: 1. Boundary of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley study area. 2. Forest cover (circa 2015) used to for determination of forest area in need of conservation protection. 3. The conservation estate (circa 2019) that had conservation protection by virtue of ownership, easement, or servitude. 4. Reforestation priority areas used to identify location of forests with increased need for forest protection. 5. Priority of forest areas for increased conservation protection.

Mapping of the current distributions of forest-cover types across the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (the swamp) is critical to understanding the success of ongoing hydrologic and other management techniques used to restore the forest communities of the swamp to those present across the swamp in early colonial times. Aerial photographs, orthophotographs, and vector digital data were used to map forest-cover types of the swamp. The forest-cover types were interpreted and mapped using composition, height, and canopy-closure classes derived from this imagery and field verification. The imagery was obtained using a near-infrared sensor (NIR)carried in an airplane flown across the swamp during the mid-to-late spring of 2015. The original dataset was provided in Universal Transverse Mercator meters, Zone 18, NAD 83 projection. The resolution of the imagery was 0.3-meter pixels. This report explains the metadata for the vector digital geodatabase for forest cover as interpreted from the imagery and field verification. One or two species composition codes represent the major forest types in the canopy of each stand. The first code represents the forest type forming at least 50 percent of the canopy. The second code represents the forest type forming 25 to less than 50 percent of the canopy. A single code indicates that only that forest type forms at least 25 percent of the canopy. Where the forest covered less than 25 percent of an area, the area was classified as emergent species. Minimum mapping areas were 5 acres for forested land and 1 acre for emergent species.

Mapping of the current distributions of forest-cover types across the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (the swamp) is critical to understanding the success of ongoing hydrologic and other management techniques used to restore the forest communities of the swamp to those present across the swamp in early colonial times. Aerial photographs, orthophotographs, and vector digital data were used to map forest-cover types of the swamp. The forest-cover types were interpreted and mapped using composition, height, and canopy-closure classes derived from this imagery and field verification. The imagery was obtained using a near-infrared sensor (NIR)carried in an airplane flown across the swamp during the mid-to-late spring of 2015. The original dataset was provided in Universal Transverse Mercator meters, Zone 18, NAD 83 projection. The resolution of the imagery was 0.3-meter pixels. This report explains the metadata for the vector digital geodatabase for forest cover as interpreted from the imagery and field verification. One or two species composition codes represent the major forest types in the canopy of each stand. The first code represents the forest type forming at least 50 percent of the canopy. The second code represents the forest type forming 25 to less than 50 percent of the canopy. A single code indicates that only that forest type forms at least 25 percent of the canopy. Where the forest covered less than 25 percent of an area, the area was classified as emergent species. Minimum mapping areas were 5 acres for forested land and 1 acre for emergent species.