LANDFIRE's (LF) 2020 update (LF 2020) Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) represents the current distribution of the terrestrial ecological systems classification developed by NatureServe for the western hemisphere. In this context, a terrestrial ecological system is defined as a group of plant community types that tend to co-occur within landscapes with similar ecological processes, substrates, and/or environmental gradients. EVT also includes ruderal or semi-natural vegetation types within the U.S. National Vegetation Classification [(NVC) https://usnvc.org/]. See the EVT product page (https://www.landfire.gov/evt.php) for more information about ecological systems and NVC. EVT is mapped using decision tree models, field data, Landsat imagery, topography, and biophysical gradient data. Decision tree models are developed separately for tree, shrub, and herbaceous lifeforms which are then used to produce a lifeform specific EVT product. These models are generated for each Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Level III Ecoregion (https://www.epa.gov/eco-research/ecoregions). Riparian, alpine, sparse, and other site-specific EVTs are constrained by predetermined masks. Urban and developed areas are derived from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), and the Microsoft Building Footprint dataset, whereas agricultural lands originate from the Cropland Data Layer (CDL) and the California Statewide Crop Mapping layer. Burnable developed classes are identified from building footprint dataset thresholds. LF 2020 retains circa 2016 EVT labels except where shifts in urban, recently disturbed, agriculture, and developed ruderal classes occurred for 2020. EVT is no longer synchronized in ST-SIM outputs for disturbed areas in LF 2020. LF uses EVT as an input for LF 2020 Fuel Vegetation Type (FVT).These data have been made publicly available from an authoritative source other than this Atlas and data should be obtained directly from that source for any re-use. See the original metadata from the authoritative source for more information about these data and use limitations. The authoritative source of these data can be found at the following location: LANDFIRE Program: Data Product Mosaic DownloadsBoundary Source: LANDFIRE 2020 Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) CONUS

The GAP/LANDFIRE National Terrestrial Ecosystems represents a highly thematically detailed land cover map of the U.S. The GAP/LANDFIRE National Terrestrial Ecosystems dataset is produced by the U.S. Geological Survey in collaboration with the LANDFIRE Program. The GAP and LANDFIRE produce data and tools that help meet critical national challenges such as biodiversity conservation, fire and fuels modeling, renewable energy development, climate change adaptation, and infrastructure investment. The GAP National Terrestrial Ecosystems - Ver 3.0 is a 2011 update of the National Gap Analysis Program Land Cover Data - Version 2.2 for the conterminous U.S. The map legend includes types described by NatureServe's Ecological Systems Classification (Comer et al. 2002) as well as land use classes described in the National Land Cover Dataset 2011 (Homer et al. 2015). These data cover the entire continental U.S. and are a spatially continuous data layer. These raster data have a 30 m x 30 m cell resolution. National GAP Land Cover combines ecological system data from previous GAP projects in the Southwest , Southeast, and Northwest United States with recently updated California data. For Alaska and areas of the continental United States where ecological system-level GAP data has not yet been developed, data from the LANDFIRE project were used. This approach allowed GAP mappers to construct a seamless representation of ecological system distributions across the conterminous United States. Currently LANDFIRE is leading a remap effort based on 2016 Landsat imagery as well as new field data. In addition to the Ecological Systems Classification maps can be rendered using the Federal Geographic Data Committee’s National Vegetation Classification System at the Group level and higher.

The Fire Regime Groups layer characterizes the presumed historical fire regimes within landscapes based on interactions between vegetation dynamics, fire spread, fire effects, and spatial context (Hann and others 2004). Fire regime group definitions have been altered from previous applications (Hann & Bunnell 2001; Schmidt and others 2002; Wildland Fire Communicator's Guide) to best approximate the definitions outlined in the Interagency FRCC Guidebook. These definitions were refined to create discrete, mutually exclusive criteria. This layer was created by linking the LANDFIRE Biophysical Settings (BpS) layer to the Fire Regime Group rulesets. This geospatial product should display a reasonable approximation of Fire Regime Group, as documented in the Refresh Model Tracker. The Historical Fire Regime Groups data layer categorizes simulated mean fire return intervals and fire severities into five fire regimes defined in the Interagency Fire Regime Condition Class Guidebook. The classes are defined as follows: Fire Regime I: 0 to 35 year frequency, low to mixed severity Fire Regime II: 0 to 35 year frequency, replacement severity Fire Regime III: 35 to 200 year frequency, low to mixed severity Fire Regime IV: 35 to 200 year frequency, replacement severity Fire Regime V: 200+ year frequency, any severity Additional data layer values were included to represent Water (111), Snow / Ice (112), Barren (131), and Sparsely Vegetated (132). Vegetated areas that never burned during the simulations were included in the category "Indeterminate Fire Regime Characteristics" (133); these vegetation types either had no defined fire behavior or had extremely low probabilities of fire ignition.

LANDFIRE (LF), Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools, is a shared program between the wildland fire management programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, U.S. Department of the Interior's Geological Survey, and The Nature Conservancy. Landfire (LF) Historical fire regimes, intervals, and vegetation conditions are mapped using …

The Existing Vegetation Cover (EVC) product depicts percent canopy cover by life form and is an important input to other LANDFIRE mapping efforts. EVC is generated separately for tree, shrub and herbaceous life forms using training data and a series of geospatial predictor layers. Plots from the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of USDA Forest Service (https://www.fia.fs.usda.gov/) were used as the training data for tree canopy cover mapping, with canopy cover of the plots estimated from stem-mapped tree data and calibrated with line intercept field measurements of canopy cover (Toney and others 2009). Shrub and herbaceous canopy cover training data were also derived from plot-level, ground-based visual assessments. More information regarding contributors of field plot data can be found at http://www.landfire.gov/participate_acknowledgements.php. Regression tree models were developed separately for each life form using the training data and a combination of multitemporal Landsat data, terrain data from a digital elevation model, and biophysical gradient data layers. Cubist software was used for modeling. The derived regression tree equations were then applied to the geospatial predictor data to create 30-m resolution, life form specific data layers (i.e., separate data layers are generated for tree, shrub and herbaceous vegetation cover). Each of the derived data layers (tree, shrub, herbaceous) has a potential range of 0-100 percent canopy cover. Tree, shrub and herbaceous values were binned into discrete classes (up to 10 bins at 10 percent intervals for tree, shrub and herbaceous canopy cover). The final EVC layer was evaluated and rectified through a series of QA/QC measures to ensure that the life form of the canopy cover code matched the life form of the LANDFIRE Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) layer. EVC is used in the development of subsequent LANDFIRE data layers. LF 2014 (lf_1.4.0) used modified LF 2010 (lf_1.2.0) data as a launching point to incorporate disturbance and its severity, both managed and natural, which occurred on the landscape 2013 and 2014. Specific examples of disturbance are: fire, vegetation management, weather, and insect and disease. The final disturbance data used in LANDFIRE is the result of several efforts that include data derived in part from remotely sensed land change methods, Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS), and the LANDFIRE Events data call. Vegetation growth was modeled where both disturbance and non-disturbance occurs. Urban, agriculture, and wetlands were refined to reflect a 2012 landscape using the National Conservation Easement Database, National Wetlands Inventory (NWI), and Common Land Unit database (CLU) data.

Broad-scale alterations of historical fire regimes and vegetation dynamics have occurred in many landscapes in the U.S. through the combined influence of land management practices, fire exclusion, ungulate herbivory, insect and disease outbreaks, climate change, and invasion of non-native plant species. The LANDFIRE Program produces maps of historical fire regimes and vegetation conditions using the disturbance dynamics model VDDT. The LANDFIRE Program also produces maps of current vegetation and measurements of current vegetation departure from simulated historical reference conditions. These maps support fire and landscape management planning outlined in the goals of the National Fire Plan, Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy, and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act.

LANDFIRE (LF) 2022 Fuel Vegetation Height (FVH) represents the LF Existing Vegetation Height (EVH) product, modified to represent pre-disturbance EVH in areas where disturbances have occurred over the past 10 years. EVH is mapped as continuous estimates of canopy height for tree, shrub, and herbaceous lifeforms with a potential range of 0-100m. Continuous EVH values are binned to align with fuel model assignments when creating FVH. FVH is an input for fuel transitions related to disturbance. Fuel products in LF 2022 were created with LF 2016 Remap vegetation in non-disturbed areas. To designate disturbed areas where FVH is modified, the aggregated Annual Disturbance products from 2013 to 2022 in the Fuel Disturbance (FDist) product are used. All existing disturbances between 2013-2022 are represented in the LF 2022 update, and the products are intended to be used in 2023 (the year of release). The "capable" year terminology used in LF 2020 and LF 2016 Remap is no longer specified, due to reduction in latency from when a disturbance occurs to the release date of fuel products accounting for that disturbance. However, users should still consider adjusting fuel layers for disturbances that occurred after the end of the 2022 fiscal year (after October 1st, 2022) when using the LF 2022 fuel products. Because those changes would not be accounted for. Learn more about LF 2022 at https://landfire.gov/lf_230.php

LANDFIRE's (LF) Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) represents the current distribution of the terrestrial ecological systems classification developed by NatureServe for the western hemisphere. In this context, a terrestrial ecological system is defined as a group of plant community types that tend to co-occur within landscapes with similar ecological processes, substrates, and/or environmental gradients. EVT also includes ruderal or semi-natural vegetation types within the U.S. National Vegetation Classification [(NVC) http://usnvc.org/]. See the EVT product page (https://www.landfire.gov/evt.php) for more information about ecological systems and NVC. EVT is mapped using decision tree models, field data, Landsat imagery, elevation, and biophysical gradient data. Decision tree models are developed separately for tree, shrub, and herbaceous lifeforms which are then used to produce a lifeform specific EVT product. These models are generated for each Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Level III Ecoregion (https://www.epa.gov/eco-research/ecoregions). Riparian, alpine, sparse and other site-specific EVTs are constrained by predetermined masks. Urban and developed areas are derived from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), whereas agricultural lands originate from the Cropland Data Layer (CDL) and Common Land Unit (CLU) database. Developed ruderal classes are identified by combining wildland-urban-interface (WUI) data with population density information from the US Census Bureau. Annual Disturbance products are included to describe areas that have experienced landscape change within the previous 10-year period. EVT is then reconciled through QA/QC measures to ensure lifeform is synchronized with both Existing Vegetation Cover (EVC) and Height (EVH) products.

LANDFIRE (LF), Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools, is a shared program between the wildland fire management programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, U.S. Department of the Interior's Geological Survey, and The Nature Conservancy. LANDFIRE (LF) layers are created using predictive landscape models based on extensive field-referenced data, satellite imagery and biophysical gradient layers using classification and regression trees. LANDFIRE's (LF) Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) represents the current distribution of the terrestrial ecological systems classification, developed by NatureServe for the western hemisphere, through 2016. A terrestrial ecological system is defined as a group of plant community types (associations) that tend to co-occur within landscapes with similar ecological processes, substrates, and/or environmental gradients. *The LF Ecological Systems Descriptions for CONUS provides descriptions for each Ecological System including species, distribution and classification information. EVT also includes ruderal or semi-natural vegetation types within the U.S. National Vegetation Classification. The LF Ruderal NVC Groups Descriptions for CONUS provides descriptions for each ruderal NVC Group including species, distribution, and classification information. EVT is mapped using decision tree models, field data, Landsat imagery, elevation, and biophysical gradient data. Decision tree models are developed separately for each of the three lifeforms-tree, shrub, and herbaceous and are then used to generate lifeform specific EVT layers. Disturbance products are included in LF Remap products to describe areas on the landscape that have experienced change within the previous 10-year period. The EVT product is reconciled through QA/QC measures to ensure life-form is synchronized with both Existing Vegetation Cover and Existing Vegetation Height. The LANDIFRE Vegetation datasets include: Biophysical Settings (BPS) Environmental Site Potential (ESP) Existing Vegetation Canopy Cover (EVC) Existing Vegetation Height (EVH). Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) These layers are created using predictive landscape models based on extensive field-referenced data, satellite imagery and biophysical gradient layers using classification and regression trees.

LANDFIRE (LF), Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools, is a shared program between the wildland fire management programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, U.S. Department of the Interior's Geological Survey, and The Nature Conservancy. Landfire (LF) Historical fire regimes, intervals, and vegetation conditions are mapped using …

The LANDFIRE (LF) Remap Fuel Vegetation Height (FVH) represents a modified pre-disturbance version of the Existing Vegetation Height (EVH) product from previous LF versions. LF Remap EVH is mapped as continuous estimates of canopy height for tree, shrub, and herbaceous lifeforms with a potential range from 0m to 50m or more. To translate continuous EVH values into fuel model assignments, EVH values are binned to new groups to improve canopy fuel predictions. FVH leverages fuel transition assignments related to disturbed areas by re-establishing pre-disturbance vegetation and was developed using the full suite of LF vegetation releases and the most recent 10 years of disturbance data. FVH is a capable fuels product that calculates Time Since Disturbance (TSD) assignments for disturbed areas using an “effective year." For example, year 2020 fuels may be calculated for the year 2020. This new process considers all the existing disturbances included in LF Remap and adjusts the TSD for these to the effective year (2020 in this example), making the products "2020 capable fuels." More information about capable fuels can be found at https://www.landfire.gov/lf_remap.php.

LANDFIRE (LF), Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools, is a shared program between the wildland fire management programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, U.S. Department of the Interior's Geological Survey, and The Nature Conservancy. Landfire (LF) Historical fire regimes, intervals, and vegetation conditions are mapped using …

‫LANDFIRE (LF), כלים לתכנון ניהול משאבים ושריפות בשטחים פתוחים, היא תוכנית משותפת בין תוכניות ניהול שריפות בשטחים פתוחים של שירות היערות של משרד החקלאות האמריקאי, הסקר הגיאולוגי של משרד הפנים האמריקאי וארגון The Nature Conservancy. מיפוי של משטרי שריפות היסטוריים, מרווחי זמן ותנאי צמחייה של Landfire (LF) מתבצע באמצעות …

LANDFIRE's (LF) Image Services can be accessed here.

Canopy height is generated separately for tree, shrub, and herbaceous lifeforms using training data and other geospatial layers. EVH is determined by the average height weighted by species cover and based on the Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) lifeform.

• Decision tree models using field reference data, lidar, Landsat, and ancillary data are developed separately for each lifeform. Decision tree relationships are used to generate lifeform specific height class layers, which are merged into a single composite EVH layer.
• Disturbance data were used to develop LF Remap products for LFRDB plot filtering and to ensure 2015 and 2016 disturbances were included that were not visible in the source imagery.
• The EVC product is then reconciled through QA/QC measures to ensure life-form is synchronized with both Existing Vegetation Cover and EVT products.

LF uses EVH in several subsequent layers, including the development of the fuel products.

Modeling Dynamic Fuels with an Index System (MoD-FIS)-refined EVH classification based upon current estimates of EVC from Landsat imagery for the current growing season.

The LANDFIRE vegetation layers describe the following elements of existing and potential vegetation for each LANDFIRE mapping zone: environmental site potentials, biophysical settings, existing vegetation types, canopy cover, and vegetation height. Vegetation is mapped using predictive landscape models based on extensive field reference data, satellite imagery, biophysical gradient layers, and classification and regression trees. The environmental site potential (ESP) data layer represents the vegetation that could be supported at a given site based on the biophysical environment. Map units are named according to NatureServe's Ecological Systems classification, which is a nationally consistent set of mid-scale ecological units (Comer and others 2003). Usage of these classification units to describe environmental site potential, however, differs from the original intent of Ecological Systems as units of existing vegetation. As used in LANDFIRE, map unit names represent the natural plant communities that would become established at late or climax stages of successional development in the absence of disturbance. They reflect the current climate and physical environment, as well as the competitive potential of native plant species. The ESP layer is similar in concept to other approaches to classifying potential vegetation in the western United States, including habitat types (for example, Daubenmire 1968 and Pfister and others 1977) and plant associations (for example, Henderson and others 1989). It is important to note that ESP is an abstract concept and represents neither current nor historical vegetation. To create the ESP data layer, we first assign field plots to one of the ESP map unit classes. Go to http://www.landfire.gov/participate_acknowledgements.php for more information regarding contributors of field plot data. Assignments are based on presence and abundance of indicator plant species recorded on the plots and on the ecological amplitude and competitive potential of these species. We then intersect plot locations with a series of 30-meter spatially explicit gradient layers. Most of the gradient layers used in the predictive modeling of ESP are derived using the WX-BGC simulation model (Keane and Holsinger, in preparation; Keane and others 2002). WX-BGC simulations are based largely on spatially extrapolated weather data from DAYMET (Thornton and others 1997; Thornton and Running 1999; http://www.daymet.org/) and on soils data in STATSGO (NRCS 1994). Additional indirect gradient layers, such as elevation, slope, and indices of topographic position, are also used. We use data from plot locations to develop predictive classification tree models, using See5 data mining software (Quinlan 1993; Rulequest Research 1997), for each LANDFIRE map zone. These decision trees are applied spatially to predict the ESP for every pixel across the landscape. Finally, ESP pixel values are, in some cases, modified based on a comparison with the LANDFIRE existing vegetation type (EVT) layer created with the use of 30-meter Landsat ETM satellite imagery. We make such modifications only in non-vegetated areas (such as water, rock, snow, or ice) and where information in the EVT layer clearly enables a better depiction of the environmental site potential concept. Although the ESP data layer is intended to represent current site potential, the actual time period for this data set is variable. The weather data used in DAYMET were compiled from 1980 to 1997. Refer to spatial metadata for date ranges of field plot data and satellite imagery for each LANDFIRE map zone. A number of changes were implemented for the LF2010 ESP product that worked with this original data. LF2010 updates to mapping EVT map units for Barren, Snow-Ice, and Water were translated to the LF2010 ESP product so those map units will coincide with the EVT. Subsequent to that, each ESP map unit was stratified spatially two different ways. First, each ESP map unit was stratified by LANDFIRE map zone. Second, each ESP map unit was stratified by an ESP life form classification layer that incorporated NLCD 2001 data, LF2001 EVC data, a Vegetation Change Tracker (VCT) dataset (Huang, 2010), and the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data. Each layer was leveraged against each other to determine areas of stable Sparse, Upland Herb, Upland Shrub, Upland Woodland, Upland Forest, Wetland Shrub-herb, Wetland Forest, Wetland Shrub, and Wetland Herb. Areas mapped as agriculture, urban, barren, snow-ice, and water were described as “Undetermined”.

Broad-scale alterations of historical fire regimes and vegetation dynamics have occurred in many landscapes in the U.S. through the combined influence of land management practices, fire exclusion, ungulate herbivory, insect and disease outbreaks, climate change, and invasion of non-native plant species. The LANDFIRE Program produces maps of historical fire regimes and vegetation conditions using the disturbance dynamics model VDDT. The LANDFIRE Program also produces maps of current vegetation and measurements of current vegetation departure from simulated historical reference conditions. These maps support fire and landscape management planning outlined in the goals of the National Fire Plan, Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy, and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act.

Introduction: The LANDFIRE existing vegetation layers describe the following elements of existing vegetation for each LANDFIRE mapping zone: existing vegetation type, existing vegetation canopy cover, and existing vegetation height. Vegetation is mapped using predictive landscape models based on extensive field reference data, satellite imagery, biophysical gradient layers, and classification and regression trees.

The LANDFIRE (LF) fuels vegetation products describe the following elements of fuels vegetation for each LF vegetation production unit: Fuels Vegetation Type (FVT), Fuels Vegetation Cover (FVC), and Fuels Vegetation Height (FVH). The suite of fuels vegetation products is derived from LF Existing Vegetation (LF 2001 LF Remap), LF Remap Existing Vegetation, and the Historical Disturbance (HDist) representing the pre-disturbance scenario on the landscape (see Existing Vegetation Cover and HDist metadata for detailed descriptions). FVC depicts percent canopy cover by lifeform (tree, shrub, and herbaceous), and is an important input to other LF fuel mapping efforts. LF Remap lifeforms (tree, shrub, herbaceous) have a potential range of 0-100 percent canopy cover. For FVC assignment tree, shrub, and herbaceous cover values are binned into discrete classes (up to 10 bins at 10 percent intervals) and used as base values. Disturbance areas are updated assigning pre-disturbance canopy cover based on the year of disturbance (HDist) and associated LF product. For instance, a disturbance in 2011 will have its canopy cover values updated using LF 2010, representing the pre-disturbance scenario with canopy cover data from 2010. The final FVC product is evaluated through a series of QA/QC measures ensuring lifeform of the canopy cover assignment matches the lifeform of associated fuel vegetation products. FVC is also used in the development of subsequent LF fuels products, encompassing further review. FVC is 2019 capable, meaning the Time Since Disturbances are updated to the effective year 2019 based on the year the disturbance occurred, making the product ready for use in year 2019. Disturbances that are older than 10 years in 2019 follow the existing LF protocol and are removed from FDist and treated as non-disturbed. Disturbances on the landscape have been identified through 2016 using the best available information (see Annual Disturbance). All non-disturbed fuel continues to be based on the LF Remap fuel vegetation.LF products are designed to facilitate national- and regional-level strategic planning and reporting of management activities. Products are created at a 30-meter spatial resolution raster data set; however, the applicability of products vary by location and specific use. Principal purposes of the products include providing, 1) national-level, landscape-scale geospatial products to support fire and fuels management planning, and, 2) consistent fuels to support fire planning, analysis, and budgeting to evaluate fire management alternatives. Users are advised to evaluate the products carefully for their applications.