This raster dataset comes from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), 2016 version. It represents land cover across the contiguous 48 states, circa 2016. Each 30-meter-square pixel has been classified using a standard land cover classification scheme, and some of these categories have been aggregated further according to procedures outlined in EPA's Report on the Environment (www.epa.gov/roe). Data were originally processed and compiled by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium (MRLC), a U.S. federal inter-agency group, based on Landsat satellite imagery.

This raster dataset comes from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), 2016 version. It represents land cover across the contiguous 48 states, circa 2016. Each 30-meter-square pixel has been classified using a standard land cover classification scheme, and some of these categories have been aggregated further according to procedures outlined in EPA's Report on the Environment (www.epa.gov/roe). Data were originally processed and compiled by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium (MRLC), a U.S. federal inter-agency group, based on Landsat satellite imagery.

This raster dataset comes from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), 2016 version. It represents land cover across the contiguous 48 states, circa 2016. Each 30-meter-square pixel has been classified using a standard land cover classification scheme, and some of these categories have been aggregated further according to procedures outlined in EPA's Report on the Environment (www.epa.gov/roe). Data were originally processed and compiled by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium (MRLC), a U.S. federal inter-agency group, based on Landsat satellite imagery.

This raster dataset comes from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), 2016 version. It represents land cover across the contiguous 48 states, circa 2016. Each 30-meter-square pixel has been classified using a standard land cover classification scheme, and some of these categories have been aggregated further according to procedures outlined in EPA's Report on the Environment (www.epa.gov/roe). Data were originally processed and compiled by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium (MRLC), a U.S. federal inter-agency group, based on Landsat satellite imagery.

National Land Cover Dataset 1992 (NLCD1992) is a 21-class land cover classification scheme that has been applied consistently across the lower 48 United States at a spatial resolution of 30 meters. NLCD92 is based primarily on the unsupervised classification of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) circa 1990's satellite data. Other ancillary data sources used to generate these data included topography, census, and agricultural statistics, soil characteristics, and other types of land cover and wetland maps. NLCD1992 is the only NLCD dataset that can be downloaded by state and by user defined area from the MRLC Consortium Viewer.

This Annual NLCD Reference Data Product includes the collection of an independent dataset of 8,360 30-meter by 30-meter samples across the Conterminous United States (CONUS). The Annual NLCD Collection 1 sample design was developed as a two-phase collection by a team of image interpreters as follows: an initial base sample containing 5,000 sample plots chosen purely by simple random selection, following by another collection of 3,360 sample plots (some of which were selected similarly, while others were targeted at particular map-defined strata) upon completion of the map. This approach results in a final stratified reference sample of size 8,360. The Annual NLCD CONUS Reference Data Product collected variables related to primary and alternate land cover and land use, change processes, and other ancillary variables annually across CONUS from 1984–2023. This product contains Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) CONUS Reference plot location data, annual land cover, land use, and change process variables for each reference data plot, information on the 'strata' and phase of collection each plot is associated with, and the strata map and overall strata counts for calculating inclusion probabilities of the stratified samples. The Annual NLCD Reference Data Product was utilized for evaluation and validation of the Annual NLCD CONUS Collection 1.0 land cover and land cover change products.

The Natural Resources Program Center conducted a land cover analysis to determine land cover types, acres and their subsequent percentages for the National Wildlife Refuge System. The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 2001 was used to determine land cover classes and calculate number of acres at national and regional scales. Coordination Areas, National Wildlife Refuges, Wildlife Management Areas and Waterfowl Production Areas were extracted from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service interest boundary. Excluding Hawaii and Puerto Rico, other pacific and Caribbean were not included in the analysis due to absence of land cover data in the area. The FwsInterest feature class is an aggregated data layer derived by appending separate regional feature data sets into a single national set. The spatial and positional accuracy of this information will vary depending on the original source data and methods utilized. For additional details on FWS boundary data refer to http://www.fws.gov/GIS/data/CadastralDB/index.htm. The NLCD layer was produced through a cooperative project conducted by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium. It was developed for the United States at medium spatial resolution. This landcover map and all documents pertaining to it are considered "provisional" until a formal accuracy assessment can be conducted. For a detailed definition and discussion on MRLC and the NLCD 2001 products, refer to Homer et al. (2004) and http://www.mrlc.gov/mrlc2k.asp.

Using survey statistics, reference land cover data to compare to mapped land cover data for development of data quality and its evaluation. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Wickham, J., S. Stehman, D. Sorenson, L. Gass, and J. Dewitz. Thematic accuracy assessment of the NLCD 2019 land cover for the conterminous United States. GIScience and Remote Sensing. Taylor & Francis Group, London, UK, 60(1): 2181143, (2023).

The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 1992 Land Cover layer was produced through a cooperative project conducted by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium. The MRLC Consortium is a partnership of federal agencies (www.mrlc.gov), consisting of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Forest Service (USDA-FS), the National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). One of the primary goals of the project is to generate a current, consistent, seamless, and accurate land cover data for the United States at medium spatial resolution. Questions about the NLCD can be directed to the NLCD land cover mapping team at USGS EROS, Sioux Falls, SD (605)594-6151 or mrlc@usgs.gov.

The National Land Cover Database (NLCD), a product suite produced through the Multi-resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) consortium, is an operational land cover monitoring program. The release of NLCD2019 extends the database to 18 years. We collected land cover reference data for the 2016 and 2019 components of the NLCD2019 database at Level II and Level I of the classification hierarchy. For both dates, Level II land cover overall accuracies (OA) were 77.5% ± 1% (± value is the standard error) when agreement was defined as a match between the map label and primary reference label only and increased to 87.1% ± 0.7% when agreement was defined as a match between the map label and either the primary or alternate reference label. At Level I of the classification hierarchy, land cover OA was 83.1% ± 0.9% for both 2016 and 2019 when agreement was defined as a match between the map label and primary reference label only and increased to 90.3% ± 0.7% when agreement also included the alternate reference label. The Level II and Level I OA for the 2016 land cover in the NLCD2019 database were 5% higher compared to the 2016 land cover component of the NLCD2016 database when agreement was defined as a match between the map label and primary reference label only. No improvement was realized by the NLCD2019 database when agreement also included the alternate reference label. User’s accuracies (UA) for forest loss and grass gain were 70% when agreement included either the primary or alternate label, and UA was generally 50% for all other change themes. Producer’s accuracies (PA) were 70% for grass loss and gain and water gain and generally 50% for the other change themes.