Grassland Vegetation Inventory for Southern Alberta

The Grassland Vegetation Inventory (GVI) is a biophysical and land-use inventory for the southern White Area of Alberta, Canada. It was produced by the Government of Alberta, with compilation starting in 2006 as an update to a 1993 inventory. The dataset classifies landscape polygons into ecological range sites and general land use categories.

Use Cases

• Analyze land-use change by comparing GVI site types with the historical Native Prairie Vegetation Inventory (NPVI) data.
• Model ecological range sites based on soil information for areas of native vegetation.
• Map anthropogenic developments by classifying landscape polygons associated with agricultural, industrial, and residential land use.
• Assess grassland health and composition using the site type classification captured in the Sites table.

Strengths

• Data capture commenced in 2006 and has proceeded north and west, indicating a multi-year, ongoing project.
• The inventory classifies landscape polygons with up to four site types per polygon, providing detailed attribute data.
• It is funded under the Alberta Government's Land-use Framework program, suggesting official support and intended application.

Limitations

• The exact spatial extent, total number of landscape polygons (rows), and attribute column details are not specified in the provided metadata.
• The dataset's temporal coverage is not fully defined, with a start date in 2006 but no clear end date for the compilation.
• The primary geographic focus is southern Alberta, limiting its applicability to other regions.

Provenance

Source

Government of Alberta, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas.

Collection Method

Interpreted from digital colour-infrared stereo photography, with characteristics captured in a Sites table.

Time Range

Compilation commenced in 2006; intended as an update to a circa 1993 inventory.

Freshness

The metadata indicates a last update date of 2026-03-04, suggesting planned future maintenance.

Geography

Southernmost portion of Alberta's White Area, Canada.