In the United States, the federal government manages lands in significant parts of the country. These lands include 193 million acres managed by the US Forest Service in the nation's 154 National Forests and 20 National Grasslands, Bureau of Land Management lands that cover 247 million acres in Alaska and the Western United States, 150 million acres managed for wildlife conservation by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, 84 million acres of National Parks and other lands managed by the National Park Service and over 30 million acres managed by the Department of Defense. The Bureau of Reclamation manages a much smaller land base than the other agencies included in this layer but plays a critical role in managing the country's water resources.The agencies included in this layer are:Bureau of Land ManagementDepartment of DefenseNational Park ServiceUS Fish and Wildlife ServiceUS Forest Service

The dataset contains locations and attributes of GSA owned or leased buildings, created as part of the DC Geographic Information System (DC GIS) for the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) and participating D.C. government agencies. A database provided by GSA identified Federal locations and DC GIS staff geo-processed the data.

HEPGIS is a web-based interactive geographic map server that allows users to navigate and view geo-spatial data, print maps, and obtain data on specific features using only a web browser. It includes geo-spatial data used for transportation planning. HEPGIS previously received ARRA funding for development of Economically distressed Area maps. It is also being used to demonstrate emerging trends to address MPO and statewide planning regulations/requirements , enhanced National Highway System, Primary Freight Networks, commodity flows and safety data . HEPGIS has been used to help implement MAP-21 regulations and will help implement the Grow America Act, particularly related to Ladder of Opportunities and MPO reforms.

This web application contains information from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, The U.S.G.S., The U.S. Census and BLM. The following information is in relation to the Surface Management Agency layer created by BLM: The Surface Management Agency (SMA) Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset depicts Federal land for the United States and classifies this land by its active Federal surface managing agency. The SMA feature class covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. This layer is a dynamic assembly of spatial data layers maintained at various federal and local government offices. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agency’s surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details. The SMA Withdrawals feature class covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A Federal SMA Withdrawal is defined by formal actions that set aside, withhold, or reserve Federal land by statute or administrative order for public purposes. A withdrawal creates a title encumbrance on the land. Withdrawals must accomplish one or more of the following: A. Transfer total or partial jurisdiction of Federal land between Federal agencies. B. Close (segregate) Federal land to operation of all or some of the public land laws and/or mineral laws. C. Dedicate Federal land to a specific public purpose. There are four major categories of formal withdrawals: (1) Administrative, (2) Presidential Proclamations, (3) Congressional, and (4) Federal Power Act (FPA) or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Withdrawals. These SMA Withdrawals will include the present total extent of withdrawn areas rather than all of the individual withdrawal actions that created them over time. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. This layer is a dynamic assembly of spatial data layers maintained at various federal and local government offices. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agency’s surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details. For more information on theProtected Areas Database (PAD-US) 3.0 Datalayer visit: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/gap-analysis-project/science/pad-us-data-download or U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2022, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 3.0: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9Q9LQ4B.

Federal Open Space is a polygon feature-based layer that includes land owned in either easement or fee simple interest by the federal government. This layer is based on information that was collected and mapped at various scales and at different levels of accuracy. Types of property in this layer include open space and recreational land open to the public. Examples include National Park Service land, Army Corps of Engineers land, etc.

The Surface Management Agency (SMA) Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset depicts Federal land for the United States and classifies this land by its active Federal surface managing agency. The SMA feature class covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. This layer is a dynamic assembly of spatial data layers maintained at various federal and local government offices. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agency’s surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details. The SMA Withdrawals feature class covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A Federal SMA Withdrawal is defined by formal actions that set aside, withhold, or reserve Federal land by statute or administrative order for public purposes. A withdrawal creates a title encumbrance on the land. Withdrawals must accomplish one or more of the following: A. Transfer total or partial jurisdiction of Federal land between Federal agencies. B. Close (segregate) Federal land to operation of all or some of the public land laws and/or mineral laws. C. Dedicate Federal land to a specific public purpose. There are four major categories of formal withdrawals: (1) Administrative, (2) Presidential Proclamations, (3) Congressional, and (4) Federal Power Act (FPA) or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Withdrawals. These SMA Withdrawals will include the present total extent of withdrawn areas rather than all of the individual withdrawal actions that created them over time. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. This layer is a dynamic assembly of spatial data layers maintained at various federal and local government offices. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agency’s surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details.

The Subsurface Mineral Estate (SSME) dataset depicts Federal mineral interest in the State of Wyoming and classifies these lands by subsurface mineral ownership, Federal or Indian trust, types of minerals owned, and percent ownership within the State of Wyoming. Federal Mineral Estate refers to the mineral estate reserved to the Federal government or a Federally recognized tribe. The SSME data depicts which minerals are reserved, whether they are reserved to the Federal government or held in trust for a tribe, and the percentage of said minerals reserved. The SSME data does not depict private mineral ownership patterns. This data set is a result of compiling differing source materials of various vintages. Source material examples used to create and maintain this dataset include BLM 100k Subsurface Maps, Oil and Gas Plats, Coal Plats, Public Land Survey GIS Data (CadNSDI v.2.0), Field Office GIS Data, Compiled 24k USGS Maps, and Land Records.

The GIS Web Mapping Application is design to have the look and feel as Google Earth. The primary functionality is to provide the user information about FRA's rail lines, rail crossings, freight stations, and mileposting.

HEPGIS is a web-based interactive geographic map server that allows users to navigate and view geo-spatial data, print maps, and obtain data on specific features using only a web browser. It includes geo-spatial data used for transportation planning. HEPGIS previously received ARRA funding for development of Economically distressed Area maps. It is also being used to demonstrate emerging trends to address MPO and statewide planning regulations/requirements , enhanced National Highway System, Primary Freight Networks, commodity flows and safety data . HEPGIS has been used to help implement MAP-21 regulations and will help implement the Grow America Act, particularly related to Ladder of Opportunities and MPO reforms.

The SMA implementation is comprised of one feature dataset, with several polygon feature classes, rather than a single feature class. SurfaceManagementAgency: The Surface Management Agency (SMA) Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset depicts Federal land for the United States and classifies this land by its active Federal surface managing agency. The SMA feature class covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. This layer is a dynamic assembly of spatial data layers maintained at various federal and local government offices. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agencyâ s surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details. SMA_Withdrawals: The Surface Management Agency (SMA) Withdrawals Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset includes all of the known withdrawals which transfer surface jurisdictional responsibilities to federal agencies. The SMA Withdrawls feature class covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A Federal SMA Withdrawal is defined by formal actions that set aside, withhold, or reserve Federal land by statute or administrative order for public purposes. A withdrawal creates a title encumbrance on the land. Withdrawals must accomplish one or more of the following: A. Transfer total or partial jurisdiction of Federal land between Federal agencies. B. Close (segregate) Federal land to operation of all or some of the public land laws and/or mineral laws. C. Dedicate Federal land to a specific public purpose. There are four major categories of formal withdrawals: (1) Administrative, (2) Presidential Proclamations, (3) Congressional, and (4) Federal Power Act (FPA) or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Withdrawals. These SMA Withdrawals will include the present total extent of withdrawn areas rather than all of the individual withdrawal actions that created them over time. These data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details. SPP_WithdrawalAreas: The Special Public Purpose (SPP) Withdrawals Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset includes all of the known SPP Withdrawal Areas, which limit use or access to Federal lands (e.g. Wilderness, National Monument). The Special Public Purpose Withdrawal Areas feature class covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A Federal SPP Withdrawal Area is defined by formal actions that set aside, withhold, or reserve Federal land by statute or administrative order for public purposes. A withdrawal creates a title encumbrance on the land. Withdrawals must accomplish one or more of the following: A. Transfer total or partial jurisdiction of Federal land between Federal agencies. B. Close (segregate) Federal land to operation of all or some of the public land laws and/or mineral laws. C. Dedicate Federal land to a specific public purpose. There are four major categories of formal withdrawals: (1) Administrative, (2) Presidential Proclamations, (3) Congressional, and (4) Federal Power Act (FPA) or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Withdrawals. These SPP Withdrawals include the present total extent of withdrawn areas rather than all of the individual withdrawal actions that created them over time. These data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details.

The USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is the nation's inventory of protected areas, including public open space and voluntarily provided, private protected areas, identified as an A-16 National Geospatial Data Asset in the Cadastral Theme (http://www.fgdc.gov/ngda-reports/NGDA_Datasets.html). PAD-US is an ongoing project with several published versions of a spatial database of areas dedicated to the preservation of biological diversity, and other natural, recreational or cultural uses, managed for these purposes through legal or other effective means. The geodatabase maps and describes public open space and other protected areas. Most areas are public lands owned in fee; however, long-term easements, leases, and agreements or administrative designations documented in agency management plans may be included. The PAD-US database strives to be a complete “best available” inventory of protected areas (lands and waters) including data provided by managing agencies and organizations. The dataset is built in collaboration with several partners and data providers (http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/padus/stewards/). See Supplemental Information Section of this metadata record for more information on partnerships and links to major partner organizations. As this dataset is a compilation of many data sets; data completeness, accuracy, and scale may vary. Federal and state data are generally complete, while local government and private protected area coverage is about 50% complete, and depends on data management capacity in the state. For completeness estimates by state: http://www.protectedlands.net/partners. As the federal and state data are reasonably complete; focus is shifting to completing the inventory of local gov and voluntarily provided, private protected areas. The PAD-US geodatabase contains over twenty-five attributes and four feature classes to support data management, queries, web mapping services and analyses: Marine Protected Areas (MPA), Fee, Easements and Combined. The data contained in the MPA Feature class are provided directly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Protected Areas Center (MPA, http://marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov ) tracking the National Marine Protected Areas System. The Easements feature class contains data provided directly from the National Conservation Easement Database (NCED, http://conservationeasement.us ) The MPA and Easement feature classes contain some attributes unique to the sole source databases tracking them (e.g. Easement Holder Name from NCED, Protection Level from NOAA MPA Inventory). The "Combined" feature class integrates all fee, easement and MPA features as the best available national inventory of protected areas in the standard PAD-US framework. In addition to geographic boundaries, PAD-US describes the protection mechanism category (e.g. fee, easement, designation, other), owner and managing agency, designation type, unit name, area, public access and state name in a suite of standardized fields. An informative set of references (i.e. Aggregator Source, GIS Source, GIS Source Date) and "local" or source data fields provide a transparent link between standardized PAD-US fields and information from authoritative data sources. The areas in PAD-US are also assigned conservation measures that assess management intent to permanently protect biological diversity: the nationally relevant "GAP Status Code" and global "IUCN Category" standard. A wealth of attributes facilitates a wide variety of data analyses and creates a context for data to be used at local, regional, state, national and international scales. More information about specific updates and changes to this PAD-US version can be found in the Data Quality Information section of this metadata record as well as on the PAD-US website, http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/padus/data/history/.) Due to the completeness and complexity of these data, it is highly recommended to review the Supplemental Information Section of the metadata record as well as the Data Use Constraints, to better understand data partnerships as well as see tips and ideas of appropriate uses of the data and how to parse out the data that you are looking for. For more information regarding the PAD-US dataset please visit, http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/padus/. To find more data resources as well as view example analysis performed using PAD-US data visit, http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/padus/resources/. The PAD-US dataset and data standard are compiled and maintained by the USGS Gap Analysis Program, http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/ . For more information about data standards and how the data are aggregated please review the “Standards and Methods Manual for PAD-US,” http://gapanalysis.usgs.gov/padus/data/standards/ .

The federal Lands data consists of land areas that are run and maintained by United States Governmental authorities. These files were created for planning purposes and should not be used as a definitive source of mapped data for any of the associated types of land ownership. There have been intentional omissions due to sensitive data types and in some cases, the source documents cannot be considered complete.This is a MD iMAP hosted service layer. Find more information at https://imap.maryland.gov.Feature Service Layer Link:https://mdgeodata.md.gov/imap/rest/services/PlanningCadastre/MD_FederalLands/FeatureServer/0

This feature class represents the Other Federal subset of the Surface Management Agency dataset. The Surface Management Agency (SMA) Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset depicts Federal land for the United States and classifies this land by its active Federal surface managing agency. The SMA feature class covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. This layer is a dynamic assembly of spatial data layers maintained at various federal and local government offices. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agency’s surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details.

The SMA Withdrawals feature class covers the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. A Federal SMA Withdrawal is defined by formal actions that set aside, withhold, or reserve Federal land by statute or administrative order for public purposes. A withdrawal creates a title encumbrance on the land. Withdrawals must accomplish one or more of the following: A. Transfer total or partial jurisdiction of Federal land between Federal agencies. B. Close (segregate) Federal land to operation of all or some of the public land laws and/or mineral laws. C. Dedicate Federal land to a specific public purpose. There are four major categories of formal withdrawals: (1) Administrative, (2) Presidential Proclamations, (3) Congressional, and (4) Federal Power Act (FPA) or Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Withdrawals. These SMA Withdrawals will include the present total extent of withdrawn areas rather than all of the individual withdrawal actions that created them over time. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. This layer is a dynamic assembly of spatial data layers maintained at various federal and local government offices. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agency’s surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details.

The SMA implementation is comprised of one feature dataset, with several polygon feature classes, rather than a single feature class. SurfaceManagementAgency: The Surface Management Agency (SMA) Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset depicts Federal land for the United States and classifies this land by its active Federal surface managing agency. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agencyâs surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details. This layer is also updated whenever BLM is notified that Lands have been acquired by other Federal Agencies. For addtional information regarding an acquistion search the Bureaus LR2000 system:The LND_SurfaceEstate data is edited and maintained in a single polygon feature class. Whenever possible, BLM lands are constructed from the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), also available to the public (PublicLandSurvey.gdb). Alignment of BLM data with the PLSS is a continual process, as the accuracy and density of PLSS data continues to improve and develop. Issues of misalignment with the PLSS are more common with non-BLM management areas. These discrepancies are being addressed at the BLM California State office based on U.S. Department of Interior priorities throughout the State of California.

SurfaceManagementAgency: The Surface Management Agency (SMA) Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset depicts Federal land for the United States and classifies this land by its active Federal surface managing agency. The SMA feature class covers the continental United States, and Alaska. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. This layer is a dynamic assembly of spatial data layers maintained at various federal and local government offices. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agency’s surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data do not illustrate land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details.The full Kansas geospatial catalog is administered by the Kansas Data Access & Support Center (DASC) and can be found at the following URL: https://hub.kansasgis.org/

[Metadata] Description: Government Landownership in the State of Hawaii as of 2022: County, Federal, State, and State DHHL LandsSources: County of Kauai, April, 2022; City & County of Honolulu, April 27, 2022; County of Maui, April, 2022; County of Hawaii, April, 2022; State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, October, 2022. This dataset was created using ownership information provided by the counties via tax map key parcel layers and ownership tables. Parcels were queried using the "Owner" field for state, county, and federal agency names. State GIS staff verified land ownership using the online service QPublic, the 2022 Department of Hawaiian Home Lands layer and other GIS layers and resources. Where ownership was still unclear, State GIS personnel reached out to appropriate agencies for clarification. Summary fields “majorowner” and “type” were created using additional filters, queries and analysis tools to summarize the data based upon government ownership sector and type. Also see detailed government ownership layer (gov_own_detailed) which is comprised of government land ownership by TMK parcel. The parcel boundaries are intended to provide a visual reference only and do not represent legal or survey level accuracy. Attributes are for assessment purposes only and are subject to change at any time. For additional information, please refer to metadata at https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/op/gis/data/gov_own.pdf or contact the Hawaii Statewide GIS Program, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, State of Hawaii; PO Box 2359, Honolulu, Hi. 96804; (808) 587-2846; email: gis@hawaii.gov; Website: https://planning.hawaii.gov/gis.

This map layer consists of federally owned or administered lands of theUnited States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Only areas of 640 acres or more are included. There may be private inholdings within the boundaries of Federal lands in this map layer. This is a revised version of the January 2005 map layer.These data are intended for geographic display and analysis at the national level, and for large regional areas. The data should be displayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:2,000,000-scale data. No responsibility is assumed by the National Atlas of the United States in the use of these data.

Surface Management Agency: The Surface Management Agency (SMA) Geographic Information System (GIS) dataset depicts Federal land for the State of North Dakota, and classifies this land by its active Federal surface managing agency. A Federal SMA agency refers to a Federal agency with administrative jurisdiction over the surface of Federal lands. Jurisdiction over the land is defined when the land is either: Withdrawn by some administrative or legislative action, or Acquired or Exchanged by a Federal Agency. This layer is a dynamic assembly of spatial data layers maintained at various federal and local government offices. The GIS data contained in this dataset represents the polygon features that show the boundaries for Surface Management Agency and the surface extent of each Federal agency's surface administrative jurisdiction. SMA data depicts current withdrawn areas for a particular agency and (when appropriate) includes land that was acquired or exchanged and is located outside of a withdrawal area for that agency. The SMA data does not illustrate non-federal land status ownership pattern boundaries or contain land ownership attribute details. Current information for other Federal and State agencies can be found on their respective entities.

This data layer contains polygon features representing the approximate size and location of parcels owned by the federal government located within Prince William County, Virginia. It was created to provide basic information regarding property location and boundaries, and is used as a graphical representation of legally recorded deed and plat documents for properties. Parcel ownership and recordation information is not included in this layer but can be purchased separately from the Office of Real Estate Assessments. Users should be aware that this data does not represent legal property boundary descriptions, nor is it suitable for boundary determination of individual parcels. Any depiction of physical improvements, property lines or boundaries is for general information only and shall not be used for the design modification or construction of improvements to real property or for flood plain determination.

The layer was derived from a variety of source maps including: mylar county parcel maps, plats of surveys, deed descriptions, subdivision maps, and highway right-of-way plats. These source materials were of several different scales and were from dates ranging from the early 1900's to the present.

Wilderness areas are federally-owned public lands managed by the federal government through four agencies, the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Park Service. When the National Wilderness Preservation System started in 1964, only 54 wilderness areas were included. Since then, the system has grown nearly every year to include more than 800. The time component of this service is based on the year in which the wilderness was originally designated (additions may have occurred in subsequent years). Overall, however, only about 5% of the entire United States—an area slightly larger than the state of California— is protected as wilderness. Because Alaska contains just over half of America's wilderness, only about 2.7% of the contiguous United States—an area about the size of Minnesota—is protected as wilderness. To learn more about wilderness areas, visit Wilderness Connect, the authoritative source for wilderness information online. Wilderness Connect also publishes two other map resources:An interactive wilderness map allows visitors to search for and explore all wilderness areas in the United States. Fact-filled storymaps on the benefits of wilderness illustrate how wilderness protects values including clean water, wildlife habitat, nearby recreation, cultural sites and more.

Although wilderness areas are federally-owned, some areas contain non-federal parcels within their boundaries. Non-federal lands within some wilderness areas are included as part of this feature dataset as a separate layer. Termed inholdings or edgeholdings, these lands are privately-owned or owned by local governments, state governments or Indigenous Nations. Hundreds of inholdings and edgeholdings exist across the wilderness system. Generally, however, they are small compared to the size of the wilderness itself. Since the rules and regulations that apply to wilderness areas do not apply to these non-federally-owned parcels, it is important for wilderness visitors to know their location to avoid trespassing where access is not allowed. The owners of inholdings and edgeholdings can develop these parcels (as long as developments do not affect the character of the surrounding wilderness lands) and they retain special and limited access to them, sometimes, but not always, by motorized means.