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.