Existing Vegetation Type

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.

LF Remap Auto-Keys: Learn about the redesign of the Auto-Keys process, which is used to determine existing vegetation type classification based on plot data in the LFRDB — Developing Auto-Keys for LF Vegetation Mapping: 2014-2015 CONUS Project Report

Product availability
Attribute Data Dictionary (LF 2.0.0)
Attribute Data Dictionary (LF 1.4.0)

The Comma Separated Values (CSV) for Attribute Tables are now included in the LF product download.
(Why is the CSV important?)

Metadata:

• CONUS (LF 2.0.0) [HTML] [XML]
• AK (LF 1.4.0) [HTML] [XML]
• HI (LF 1.4.0) [HTML] [XML]