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Under contract to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Aerial Information Systems (AIS) created a fine-scale vegetation map of portions of the Southern Sierra Nevada Foothills in central California. AIS subcontracted the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) to conduct field reconnaissance assistance for this project, as well as accuracy assessment (AA) field data collection; and Soar Environmental Consulting to assist in the AA field data collection. CDFW''s Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP) provided in-kind service to allocate and score the AA. The mapping study area, consists of approximately 1,824,939 acres, of Mariposa, Madera, Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles counties. Work was performed on the project between 2019 and 2022. The primary purpose of the project was to further CDFW''s goal of developing fine-scale digital vegetation maps as part of the California Biodiversity Initiative Roadmap of 2018.CNPS under separate contract and in collaboration with CDFW VegCAMP developed the floristic vegetation classification used for the project. The floristic classification follows protocols compliant with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and National Vegetation Classification Standards (NVCS).The vegetation map was produced applying heads-up digitizing techniques using a 2018 base of one-meter National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery (true-color and color infrared), in conjunction with ancillary data and imagery sources. Map polygons are assessed for Vegetation Type, Percent Cover, Exotics, Development Disturbance, and other attributes. The minimum mapping unit (MMU) is 2 acres; exceptions are made for wetlands and riparian types, which were mapped to a 1-acre MMU.Field reconnaissance and accuracy assessment enhanced map quality. There was a total of 111 mapping classes. The overall Fuzzy Accuracy Assessment rating for the final vegetation map,at the Alliance and Group levels, is 89.5 percent.

Under contract to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the North State Planning and Development Collective (NSPDC) created a fine-scale vegetation map of portions of the Sierra Nevada mountains around Lake Tahoe and the adjacent Modoc Plateau. CDFW''s Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP) provided in-kind service to allocate and score the Accuracy Assessment. The mapping study area consists of approximately 1.6 million acres, covering portions of Sierra, Plumas, Placer, Nevada, Modoc, and Lassen counties. Work was performed on the project between 2019 and 2023. The purposes of the project include assisting land managers in decision-making, fire and fuel management, protecting endangered species and habitats, protecting cultural and natural resources, habitat connectivity, habitat restoration, conservation prioritization, and informed development. NSPDC staff conducted 434 Rapid Assessment and Releve surveys across the mapping area in the summer of 2019 to gather vegetation data to be used in the development of a vegetation classification for the project area.VegCAMP developed the floristic vegetation classification used for the project. The floristic classification follows protocols compliant with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and National Vegetation Classification Standards (NVCS).The vegetation map was produced applying heads-up digitizing techniques using a 2018 base of one-meter National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery (true-color and color infrared), in conjunction with ancillary data and imagery sources. Map polygons are assessed for Vegetation Type, Percent Cover, Exotics, Development Disturbance, and other attributes. The minimum mapping unit (MMU) is 1 acre; exceptions are made for wetlands and riparian types, which were mapped to a 1/4 acre. Breaks on overstory cover were done at 3 acres.Field reconnaissance and the Accuracy Assessment enhanced the overall map quality. There were a total of 107 mapping classes. The overall Fuzzy Accuracy Assessment rating for the final vegetation map,at the Alliance, Group, and Macrogroup levels, is 81.7% percent.

The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) contracted with the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) and Aerial Information Systems (AIS) to produce an alliance-level, vegetation classification and map of Western Riverside County, California. The resulting classification and map products will be used to help establish a monitoring basis for the vegetation and habitats of the Western Riverside County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP). The plan aims to conserve over 500,000 acres of land out of the 1.26 million acre total. This area is the largest MSHCP ever attempted and is an integral piece of the network of Southern California Habitat Conservation Plans and Natural Community Conservation Planning (Dudek 2001, Dudek 2003). Riverside County is one of the fastest growing counties in California, as well as one of the most biodiverse counties in the United States. A wide array of habitats are found within the non-developed lands in Western Riverside County, including coastal sage scrub, vernal pools, montane coniferous forest, chaparral, foothill woodland, annual grassland, and desert. In the CNPS contract, vegetation resources were assessed quantitatively through field surveys, data analysis, and final vegetation classification. Field survey data were analyzed statistically to come up with a floristically-based classification. Each vegetation type sampled was classified according to the National Vegetation Classification System to the alliance level (and association level if possible). The vegetation alliances were described floristically and environmentally in standard descriptions, and a final key was produced to differentiate among 101 alliances, 169 associations, and 3 unique stands (for final report, see https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=18245). In a parallel but separate effort by AIS (as reported in this dataset), vegetation mapping was undertaken through interpretation of ortho-rectified, aerial photographs for vegetation signatures in color infrared (CIR) and in natural color (imagery flown in winter or summer). A detailed map has been produced through the following process: 1) hand-delineation of polygons on base CIR imagery, 2) digitization of polygons, and 3) attribution of the vegetation types and overstory cover values. The map was created in a Geographic Information System (GIS) digital format, as was the database of field surveys. The dataset was produced through an on-screen photo interpretation procedure using three sets of geo-referenced imagery. The data is classified to a floristic classification derived through clustering analysis procedures based on species dominance and significance. The classification is based on the MCV (Manual of California Vegetation) in which 103 alliances and 169 floristic associations have been defined for the study area. Over 3300 full plot and reconnaissance points have been used in helping classify the mapped polygons. Mapped polygons are classified to either an association, alliance or mapping unit which may be an aggregation of associations or alliances. The dataset encompasses the western portions of Riverside County from the county boundary on the west eastward to the summit of the San Jacinto Mountains and Anza valley.

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The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) worked collaboratively with the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) and Aerial Information Systems (AIS) to produce a fine-scale vegetation map of the northern Sierra Nevada Foothills region, here defined by the two northern subsections of the USDAs Sierra Nevada Foothills Section (Miles and Goudey 1997). This includes 2.6 million acres of land, with approximately 15 percent under public ownership and 85 percent under private ownership. Vegetation sampling by means of the CNPS Relevé and Rapid Assessment Protocols was used to obtain a total of 710 Relevés and 1691 Rapid Assessments, which were used to develop a quantitative classification based on cluster and indicator species analyses. The resulting classification describes vegetation types according to the National Vegetation Classification System; and was used as a basis for creating a map classification generally at the alliance level, where natural vegetation stands were discernable to that level using 1-meter aerial imagery acquired as part of the National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) in 2005 and 2009. The vegetation map includes 67 map units, of which 54 are natural vegetation map units at the floristic alliance level or higher (group) level and 13 are non-vegetation land use mapping units.

The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) worked collaboratively with the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) and Aerial Information Systems (AIS) to produce a fine-scale vegetation map of the northern Sierra Nevada Foothills region, here defined by the two northern subsections of the USDAs Sierra Nevada Foothills Section (Miles and Goudey 1997). This includes 2.6 million acres of land, with approximately 15 percent under public ownership and 85 percent under private ownership. Vegetation sampling by means of the CNPS Relevé and Rapid Assessment Protocols was used to obtain a total of 710 Relevés and 1691 Rapid Assessments, which were used to develop a quantitative classification based on cluster and indicator species analyses. The resulting classification describes vegetation types according to the National Vegetation Classification System; and was used as a basis for creating a map classification generally at the alliance level, where natural vegetation stands were discernable to that level using 1-meter aerial imagery acquired as part of the National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) in 2005 and 2009. The vegetation map includes 67 map units, of which 54 are natural vegetation map units at the floristic alliance level or higher (group) level and 13 are non-vegetation land use mapping units.

The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) contracted with the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) and Aerial Information Systems (AIS) to produce an alliance-level, vegetation classification and map of Western Riverside County, California. The resulting classification and map products will be used to help establish a monitoring basis for the vegetation and habitats of the Western Riverside County Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP). The plan aims to conserve over 500,000 acres of land out of the 1.26 million acre total. This area is the largest MSHCP ever attempted and is an integral piece of the network of Southern California Habitat Conservation Plans and Natural Community Conservation Planning (Dudek 2001, Dudek 2003). Riverside County is one of the fastest growing counties in California, as well as one of the most biodiverse counties in the United States. A wide array of habitats are found within the non-developed lands in Western Riverside County, including coastal sage scrub, vernal pools, montane coniferous forest, chaparral, foothill woodland, annual grassland, and desert. In the CNPS contract, vegetation resources were assessed quantitatively through field surveys, data analysis, and final vegetation classification. Field survey data were analyzed statistically to come up with a floristically-based classification. Each vegetation type sampled was classified according to the National Vegetation Classification System to the alliance level (and association level if possible). The vegetation alliances were described floristically and environmentally in standard descriptions, and a final key was produced to differentiate among 101 alliances, 169 associations, and 3 unique stands (for final report, see https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=18245). In a parallel but separate effort by AIS (as reported in this dataset), vegetation mapping was undertaken through interpretation of ortho-rectified, aerial photographs for vegetation signatures in color infrared (CIR) and in natural color (imagery flown in winter or summer). A detailed map has been produced through the following process: 1) hand-delineation of polygons on base CIR imagery, 2) digitization of polygons, and 3) attribution of the vegetation types and overstory cover values. The map was created in a Geographic Information System (GIS) digital format, as was the database of field surveys. The dataset was produced through an on-screen photo interpretation procedure using three sets of geo-referenced imagery. The data is classified to a floristic classification derived through clustering analysis procedures based on species dominance and significance. The classification is based on the MCV (Manual of California Vegetation) in which 103 alliances and 169 floristic associations have been defined for the study area. Over 3300 full plot and reconnaissance points have been used in helping classify the mapped polygons. Mapped polygons are classified to either an association, alliance or mapping unit which may be an aggregation of associations or alliances. The dataset encompasses the western portions of Riverside County from the county boundary on the west eastward to the summit of the San Jacinto Mountains and Anza valley.

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