GIS FAQs:
Virginia Forest Land Use (2000)

VAFOREST

Metadata also available as

Frequently-anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

  • Title: VAFOREST
  • Abstract: VAFOREST is a map of forestland in Virginia that meets the United States Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis Program's definition of forestland. Forestland is defined as lands with at least a stocking of 10% cover of live forest trees of any size, or formerly having such tree cover, and not currently developed for non-forest use. The minimum area for classification of forestland is usually 1 acre with a minimum width of 120 feet stem-to-stem. Forested strips must be at least 120 feet wide for a continuous length of at least 363 feet in order to meet the acre threshold. Unimproved roads and trails, and clearings in forest areas are classified as forest if less than 120 feet wide or smaller than 1 acre.

    The map was developed through the classification of Landsat 7 ETM+ satellite imagery, acquired in the years 1999 and 2000, and refined using various ancillary data sets and algorithms. Classification training and accuracy assessment was done using over 7,000 Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) ground data plots.
  • Supplemental_Information: These data only contain forested landuse areas 1 acre or greater. It does not contain other land use classifcations, such as agriculture,urban areas or barren/stip land.
  1. How should this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    • West_Bounding_Coordinate: -83.851606
    • East_Bounding_Coordinate: -75.130269
    • North_Bounding_Coordinate: 39.474474
    • South_Bounding_Coordinate: 36.418386
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    • Calendar_Date: 1999
    • Currentness_Reference: ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    • Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: raster digital data
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      • This is a Raster data set. It contains the following raster data types:
        • Dimensions 22043 x 50065 x 1, type Grid Cell
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      • The map projection used is Lambert Conformal Conic.
        • Projection parameters:
          • Standard_Parallel: 37.000000
          • Standard_Parallel: 39.500000
          • Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -79.500000
          • Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 36.000000
          • False_Easting: 0.000000
          • False_Northing: 0.000000
        • Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
          • Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 15.000000
          • Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 15.000000
          • Planar coordinates are specified in meters
        • The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
        • The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
        • The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
        • The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    • VAFOREST
    • ObjectID Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
    • Land Use Land Use
      • 1: Non-forest
      • 2: Forest
      • 3: Water
    • Count Pixel count
    • Red Red color value
      • Range of values
        • Minimum: 0
        • Maximum: 1
    • Green Green color value
      • Range of values
        • Minimum: 0
        • Maximum: 1
    • Blue Blue color value
      • Range of values
        • Minimum: 0
        • Maximum: 1
    • Opacity

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
    • Virginia Department of Forestry, Forest Inventory and Analysis
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
    • Virginia Department of Forestry, Forest Inventory and Analysis
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    • Jason Braunstein
      Virginia Department of Forestry
      GIS Manager
      900 Natural Resources Drive, Suite 800
      Charlottesville, VA 22903
      434.977.6555 (voice)
      434.296.2369 (FAX)

Why was the data set created?

VAFOREST was developed primarily to provide stratification for the estimation of forestland area. It is also being used to examine forest fragmentation and landscape patch analysis, at appropriate scales. Additional uses include image masking for forest type classification, and as a baseline for forest health, disturbance and harvest monitoring.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    • (process 1 of 2)
      • Metadata imported.
        • Data sources used in this process
          • N:\VA-Forest-Cover-2000\VA_FIA_Forest2000.img.xml
    • (process 2 of 2)
      • Dataset copied.
        • Data sources used in this process:
          • N:\VA-Forest-Cover-2000\vaforest

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

  • Access_Constraints: Data is available to all interested parties
  • Use_Constraints: Data may only be redistributed with accompanying metadata.
  1. Who distributes the data set?
    • [Distributor contact information not provided.]
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
    • Downloadable Data
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    • This information is provided with the understanding that it is not guaranteed to be correct or complete and conclusions drawn from such information are the sole responsibility of the user. While The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) has attempted to ensure that this documentation is accurate and reliable, DOF does not assume liability for any damages caused by inaccuracies in these data or documentation, or as a result of the failure of the data or software to function in a particular manner. DOF makes no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or utility of this information, nor does the fact of distribution constitute a warranty.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
    • Availability in digital form:
      • Data format:
      • Size: 38.068
    • Cost to order the data:

Who wrote the metadata?

  • Dates:
    • Last modified: 18-Nov-2002
  • Metadata author:
    • Virginia Department of Forestry
      Resource Information Manager
      900 Natural Resources Drive, Suite 800
      Charlottesville, VA 22903
      434.977.6555 (voice)
      434.296.2369 (FAX)
  • Metadata standard:
    • FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
  • Metadata extensions used:
    • http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html

nerated by http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/tools/doc/mp.html version 2.7.3 on Tue Jul 16 11:56:49 2002