Geospatial data for the Vegetation Mapping Inventory Project of Fort Bowie National Historic Site

The files linked to this reference are the geospatial data created as part of the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Current format is ArcGIS file geodatabase but older formats may exist as shapefiles.

Polygon boundary edits were transferred from the paper maps used in the field to the digital shapefiles each week using ArcMap GIS software. Field edits were also transferred to a set of master paper maps that did not go into the field; these will be archived along with the datasheets. The polygons were contained in a field geodatabase structure (.mdb), enabling topography rules and relationships to be established. The geodatabase was archived each week to ensure no loss of data and to allow for reversion or retrieval if needed. Strict nomenclature was enforced for polygons, and a unique name was assigned to each polygon. The names reflected the verified physiognomic formation type by a prefix of representative letters (W = Woodland, SS = shrub savanna, etc.) followed by a number. In the final map, there are 16 vegetation alliances or associations attributed to 74 polygons (Figure 2-3). For each, there is a oneto- one correlation between the alliance or association and map units (polygons). Table 2-3 shows each vegetation community type, the number of polygons attributed with that type, and the total area.