Isle Royale National Park Spatial Vegetation Data; Cover Type / Association level of the National Vegetation Classification System

The National Park Service (NPS), in conjunction with the Biological Resources
Division (BRD) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), has implemented a program
to "develop a uniform hierarchical vegetation methodology" at a national level.
The program will also create a geographic information system (GIS) database for
the parks under its management. The purpose of the data is to document the
state of vegetation within the NPS service area during the 1990's, thereby
providing a baseline study for further analysis at the Regional or Service-wide
level. The vegetation units of this map were determined through stereoscopic
interpretation of aerial photographs supported by field sampling and ecological
analysis. The vegetation boundaries were identified on the photographs by means
of the photographic signatures and collateral information on slope, hydrology,
geography, and vegetation in accordance with the Standardized National
Vegetation Classification System (October 1995). The mapped vegetation reflects
conditions that existed during the specific year and season that the aerial
photographs were taken (spring - 1996 and fall - 1994). There is an inherent
margin of error in the use of aerial photography for vegetation delineation and
classification.

The purpose of this spatial data is to provide the National Park Service the
necessary tools to wisely manage the natural resources within this park system.
Several parks, representing different regions, environmental conditions, and
vegetation types, were chosen by BRD to be part of the prototype phase of the
program. The initial goal of the prototype phase is to "develop, test, refine,
and finalize the standards and protocols" to be used during the production
phase of the project. This includes the development of a standardized
vegetation classification system for each park and the establishment of
photointerpretation, field, and accuracy assessment procedures. Isle Royale
National Park was initially identified as one of the prototypes within the
National Park System for the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. Isle Royale
National Park was established March 3, 1931 and was also designated as an
International Biosphere Reserve in 1980. The park contains approximately
571,790 acres of land and water (893 square miles) of which 133,782 acres is
land and the rest is open water of Lake Superior as well as inland lakes and
ponds. Isle Royale National Park is an archipelago of islands located in the
northwestern region of Lake Superior close to the United States-Canada border.
The main island, Isle Royale, consists of a series of ridges and valleys
running the length of the island and is surrounded by approximately 200 smaller
islands. The primary methods of transportation on the island are hiking and
boating. 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.

Isle Royale National Park is an archipelago of islands located in the
northwestern region of Lake Superior close to the United States-Canada border.
The park is located about 60 miles northwest of Michigan.s Keweenaw Peninsula,
about 22 miles east of Grand Portage, Minnesota, and about 35 miles southeast
of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

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