This polygon feature class represents vegetation communities mapped for each Colorado State Park. The polygons were generated using guidelines set by the National Vegetation Classification System. Vegetation polygons were drawn on-screen using aerial photography recent to each mapping effort. Traditional image interpretation cues were used to develop the polygons, such as shape, size, pattern, tone, texture, color, and shadow. Additional data layers were used in aiding the interpretation, such as slope, hydrology, geography, and ground-collected vegetation information. As with any digital layer, this layer is a representation of what is actually occurring on the ground at the time the imagery was acquired. Errors are inherent in any interpretation of ground qualities.

The National Vegetation Classification System is organized hierarchically to support conservation and resource stewardship applications across multiple scales. The upper levels of the hierarchy are based on the physical form or structure of the vegetation (physiognomy) and have been refined from the international standards developed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The two most detailed levels of the hierarchy are based on the species composition of existing vegetation (floristics) and reflect the phyto-sociological standards that were originally developed by European ecologists. The vegetation classification is continually advanced through the collection and analysis of new field data.

Created 03/05/2012 by Melissa Hayashida (Colorado Parks and Wildlife Seasonal GIS Technician). Vegetation polygons for Colorado State Parks. Data derived from veg polygon shapefiles (field in attribute table called "FILENAME" refers to original shapefile name).

For field descriptions, see Veg_Geodatabase_Standards_2016 - for contractor.xlsx (L:\parks\standards\themes\plants\veg\Veg_Geodatabase_Standards)

Not all pre-existing vegetation polygons from the individual parks/themes folder were used. See below

AHR- ahr_pla_Hayden_poly_2007 and ahr_pla_veg_poly_2006 had overlapping areas. Where these areas existed, only the data from ahr_pla_veg_poly_2006 was retained.

GOG - Remapped by CEMML in 2014. CEMML sent an access database that went along with the GIS date. If we ever need to link the database to the polys we will need to pull the GOG off of the front of VEGID in order for the link to work.

YAM- yam_pla_vegetation_2001 and yam_pla_veg_poly_2003 had overlapping areas. Where these areas existed, only the data from yam_pla_veg_poly_2003 was retained.

JAC- jac_pla_vegetation_2008 was not included in the polygon feature class or the historic polygon feature class. For polygons in jac_pla_vegetation_2000 that corresponded (in terms of approximate location and size) with polygons in jac_pla_vegetation_2008, condition values were updated according to the condition values in jac_pla_vegetation_2008. These changes are noted in the “FieldNote” field of the polygon feature class attribute table.

STA –sta_esc_pla_vegetation_2003 was not included in the vegetation geodatabase (it is Natural Areas data, not Park data). Sta_pla_veg_trees was included in the polygon feature class, except for the areas remapped in 2007 (sta_pla_vegetation_2007). The areas in sta_pla_veg_trees that were remapped in 2007 were moved to a shapefile called sta_pla_veg_trees_clip and placed in the STA veg archive folder (L:\parks\work\sta\themes\plants\veg\archive). Sta_pla_veg_csf_custom was not included in the vegetation geodatabase and was moved to the STA veg archive folder.

SYL-syl_pla_veg_parkveg_99 was moved to the historic polygon feature class (these areas were remapped in 2003).

LON-

Where lon_pla_vegetation_2005 was identical to lon_pla_veg_poly_2005 or lon_pla_vegetation_2008, only lon_pla_vegetation_2005 was retained.

Where lon_pla_vegetation_2008 was identical to lon_pla_veg_poly_2005, only lon_pla_vegetation_2008 was retained.

Areas in lon_pla_veg_poly_2005 that weren't represented by areas in lon_pla_vegetation_2005 or lon_pla_vegetation_2008 were retained.

Areas in lon_pla_vegetation_2008 that weren't represented by areas in lon_pla_vegetation_2005 were retained (for example, the big chunk in the SE corner of the park).

All of Lon_pla_vegetation_2003 was removed and added to the historic vegetation poly feature class.

Areas in lon_pla_veg_poly_2005 and lon_pla_vegetation_2005 that were within the large area of land now outside the park boundary (to the east of the park) were removed and added to the historic vegetation poly feature class.

Lon_pla_veg_poly_2005 and lon_pla_vegetation_2005 originally extended past the park boundary at times, but they didn’t always extend 500 ft past the boundary. Lon_pla_vegetation_2008 extended 500 ft (usually) past the park boundary. In order to retain a 500 ft buffer around the park boundary, lon_pla_veg_poly_2005 and lon_pla_vegetation_2005 were clipped to the park boundary. Lon_pla_vegetation_2008 was used to fill in the 500 ft buffer around the park boundary

This process lost some of the condition values that were added in 2008, we've subsequently attempted to replace those condition values. (mjs 3/2012).