The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)-National Park Service (NPS) Vegetation Mapping Program and the NPS Southern Plains Network (SOPN) of parks in cooperation with Natural Heritage New Mexico (NHNM, a division of the Museum of Southwestern Biology at the University of New Mexico), and the staff at Pecos National Historical Park (PECO), set out to develop vegetation maps that meet or exceed USGS-NPS standards of 1:24,000-scale and 0.5-ha minimum map unit size (USGS 2010). The maps were based on high-resolution aerial photography along with extensive ground sampling. The project was initiated in 2006 with ensuing field surveys of the vegetation communities through 2011. The vegetation survey data were entered into a database and used to develop a park-wide vegetation classification following the National Vegetation Classification System (FGDC 1997, 2008; Grossman et al. 1998) guidelines.* Then, using the vegetation classification and associated ground control points, vegetation maps were generated at a 1:12,000 scale using a combination of automated image analysis (image segmentation and supervised classifications) and direct image interpretation. Map units were designed to support ecologically based natural resources management with an emphasis on use in fire and wildlife management. The authors provide here the details on how the maps were constructed, an overview of the classification and ecology of the vegetation communities of the monument, the vegetation maps with associated map unit descriptions, plant community descriptions and a diagnostic key, and a vouchered species list. The maps are presented in both paper and digital form as part of a geographic information system (GIS) compatible with that used in the park and national USGSNPS national mapping program. In addition, all field data were compiled into a relational database compatible with USGS-NPS database guidelines, and all data and report elements made ready for web-based applications. Finally, the authors provide an accuracy assessment that reflects both user and producer confidence in the map.

The book is concerned principally with geobotanical mapping. Geobotany is a broad science that deals with the study of species and of vegetation communities in relation to the environment; it includes other, perhaps more familiar sciences, such as plant geography, plant ecology, and chorology, and phytosociology (plant sociology). Geobotanical cartography is a field of thematic cartography that deals with the interpretation and representation, in the form of maps, of those spatial and temporal phenomena that pertain to flora, vegetation, vegetated landscapes, vegetation zones, and phytogeographical units. The production of a geobotanical map represents the last stage in a cognitive process that begins with observations in the field and continues with the collection of sample data, interpretation of the phenomena observed, and their appropriate cartographic representation; geobotanical cartography is closely tied to the concepts and scope of geobotany in general

A. W. KOCHLER The intimate intercourse between two or more 2. vegetation maps are scientific tools for ana fields of knowledge often bears interesting and lyzing the environment and the relation valuable fruit. Vegetation maps are such fruit, ships between vegetation and the site on resulting from the union of botany and geogra which it occurs. This helps to explain the phy. The work of botanists can be comprehen distribution of plant communities on the sive only if it includes a consideration of plants basis of the physical and chemical features in space, i. e. in different types of landscapes. At of the landscape. On the other hand, plant this point, the work of geographers becomes communities allow conclusions on the natu important through their development of maps re of the environment; as tools to determine and to analyze distribu 3. vegetation maps are valuable standards of tions in space. Our highly developed knowledge reference for observing and measuring of vegetation is matched by the refinement of changes in the vegetation, their direction cartographic techniques, and maps can now be and their speed, i. e. the rate of change. This is important because the character ofvegeta made that will show the extent and geographical distribution of vegetation anywhere on the sur tion is dynamic and is increasingly affected face of our planet with a remarkable degree of by man; accuracy. 4.

The purpose of the vegetation mapping effort at Valley Forge National Historical Park is twofold. First, a vegetation classification is developed to identify the types of vegetation within the park. The second purpose of the vegetation mapping effort is the production of a digital vegetation map.

A vegetation classification and map were developed by the West Virginia Natural Heritage Program for New River Gorge National River following the standards of the U.S. Geological Survey National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program. These standards include a minimum mapping unit of 0.5 ha (1.2 ac) and classification accuracy of 80% or greater for each map class. The U.S. National Vegetation Classification was used as the classification standard.