Isle Royale National Park, Field Plots Data Base for Vegetation Mapping

Vegetation field plots at Isle Royale National Park were visited, described,
and documented in a digital database. The database consists of 2 parts - (1)
Physical Descriptive Data and (2) Species Listings.

The vegetation plots were used to describe the vegetation in and around Wind
Cave National Park and to assist in developing a final mapping classification
system.

The purpose of the vegetation plots was to provide National Parks with the
necessary tools to effectively manage their natural resources. Plot data are
collected and analyzed to develop a classification (using the Standardized
National Vegetation Classification System) and description of vegetation types
in preparation for photointerpretation and mapping of the Park's vegetation
types.

Isle Royale National Park was authorized on March 3, 1931; it was formally
established in 1940, and officially dedicated in 1946. Most of the park's land
area (98%) was designated as a Wilderness area in October 1976, and later
additions increased the total Wilderness to 99% of the park. The park was
designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980.

Field sampling was performed using releve plots.

Information for this metadata was obtained from the site
http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/isro/metaisrofield.html and converted to NASA
Directory Interchange Format.