[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 3, 1996)] [Notices] [Page 34858] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-16898] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Geological Survey Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC); Public Review of Vegetation Classification and Information Standards ACTION: Notice; Request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The FGDC is sponsoring a public review of the draft ``FGDC Vegetation Classification and Information Standards'' to be considered for adoption as an FGDC standard. If adopted, the standard must be followed by all Federal agencies for data collected directly or indirectly (through grants, partnerships, or contracts). In its assigned leadership role for developing the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), the FGDC recognizes that the standards must also meet the needs and recognize the views of State and local governments, academia, industry, and the public. The purpose of this notice is to solicit such views. The FGDC invites the community to review, test, and evaluate the proposed classification system and information standards. Comments are encouraged about the content, completeness, and usability of the proposed standard. The FGDC anticipates that the proposed vegetation classification and information standard, after updating or revision, will be adopted as a Federal Geographic Data Committee standard. The standard may be forwarded to other standards organizations for adoption if interest warrants such action. DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 1, 1996. CONTACT and ADDRESSES: Requests for written copies of the classification system and information standards being proposed as a standard should be sent to Vegetation Standards Review, FGDC Secretariat (attn: Jennifer Fox), U.S. Geological Survey, 590 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia, 20192; telephone 703-648-5514; facsimile 703-648-5755; or Internet ``[email protected]''. The proposed standard is available for viewing through Internet on the Vegetation Subcommittee Home Page; the URL is: http://www.nbs.gov/mikez/fgdc-sub.htm. The standard may also be downloaded from the FGDC Home Page at the following URL: www.fgdc.gov (select Public Documents) or directly from the FGDC anonymous ftp site by using the address: www.fgdc.gov/pub/standards/veg. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The overall objective of the Vegetation Classification and Information Standards is to support the production of uniform statistics on vegetation resources at the national level. It is important that, as agencies map or inventory Earth cover that is vegetated, they collect enough data to accurately and precisely translate it for national reporting, aggregation, and comparisons. This will eventually support the detailed, quantitative, geo-referenced basis for vegetation cover modeling, mapping and analysis at the field level. This document proposes a vegetation classification system and set of information standards to be used by Federal agencies and others in their activities for inventory, mapping, and reporting on the vegetation resources of the United States. It includes a description of the proposed Vegetation Classification and Information Standards, general policy regarding Federal agencies' use, suggested applications, the principles (basic ideas, requirements) that guided the development of this system, and a list of definitions used in the system and its development. This document does not detail the floristically defined units of the classification standard, the field methods, or the data management and analysis standards that will be required to develop and maintain this Vegetation Classification and Information Standard. This information will be presented in subsequent documents by the Subcommittee. Vegetation Cover is defined as vegetation that covers or is visible at or above the land or water surface. Vegetation data are the attributes of the vegetation that are used to classify and characterize the vegetation type and to map a vegetation stand. These data come from the interpretation; of remotely sensed imagery, field work, and other thematic data sources. Input sought on the draft standards includes how well it meets user needs. Specific issues on which response is requested include: the threshold for separating vegetated from non-vegetated areas; the threshold for defining dominance; the criteria for separating tree from shrub; and the need for parallelism between tree-dominated cover classes and other life form cover classes. For examples, tree-dominated land is divided into open and closed canopy. Are similar divisions needed within the shrub and herbaceous life forms? Shrub classes are divided based upon shrub height; are height classes needed for other life forms? Reviewer comments should be sent to the FGDC Secretariat at the above address. Please send comments in both hardcopy and softcopy, preferably on a 3.5-inch diskette. Dated: June 25, 1996. Richard E. Witmer, Acting Chief, National Mapping Division. [FR Doc. 96-16898 Filed 7-2-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-31-M