Vegetation Classification Map of Jewel Cave National Monument

Jewel Cave National Monument Spatial Vegetation Data documents vegetation cover using the National Vegetation Classification System. The National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey created this baseline GIS database in the 1990s. Mapping is based on 1:16,000 scale aerial photography from August 1993.

Use Cases

• Classify vegetation cover type and association units using the NVCS classification system.
• Analyze spatial distribution of natural vs. cultural land cover using the Anderson Level II system.
• Establish a baseline for monitoring vegetation change over time within the monument and a 2-mile buffer.
• Support resource management planning by mapping the relationship between vegetation and soil types.

Strengths

• Data provides a documented baseline for vegetation state within a National Park Service area.
• Classification derived from extensive on-site sampling and numerical analysis.
• Mapping includes a buffer zone around the monument boundary for contextual analysis.

Limitations

• Temporal coverage is limited to a snapshot from the early 1990s, lacking recent updates.
• Sample data and specific column schema (e.g., polygon attributes, area) are unavailable.
• Mapping may have bias as sampling was not conducted on private lands used for grazing or farming.

Provenance

Source

National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division (USGS/BRD).

Collection Method

Vegetation mapping using 1:16,000 scale U.S. Forest Service Color Aerial Photography and on-site sampling.

Time Range

1993 (aerial photography) to 1995 (data publication).

Freshness

1995-09-12

Geography

Jewel Cave National Monument and approximately a 2-mile environs around its boundaries in the Black Hills, South Dakota.