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The Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve

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The Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science The Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve Vegetation Mapping Project Interim Report—Eastern Big Cypress (Regions 5 & 6), Big Cypress National Preserve Natural Resource Report NPS/SFCN/NRR—2019/2035 ON THE COVER Photograph of flooded Cypress Dome, Big Cypress National Preserve. Photo credit Magali Guichardot (21 July 2017). The Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve Vegetation Mapping Project Interim Report—Eastern Big Cypress (Regions 5 & 6), Big Cypress National Preserve Natural Resource Report NPS/SFCN/NRR—2019/2035 Pablo L. Ruiz1, Anna Lee1, Carl Thompson1, Ivan Castillo2, Magali Guichardot2, Craig P. Perry1, Alejandro Arteaga Garcia1, Michael Foguer1, Michelle C. Prats1, Ellen Garcia2, Samantha Lamosa2, Robert B. Shamblin1, and Kevin R. T. Whelan1 1South Florida Caribbean Network Inventory and Monitoring Program 18001 Old Cutler Road, Suite 419 Palmetto Bay, Florida 33157 2Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street Miami, Florida 33199 October 2019 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate comprehensive information and analysis about natural resources and related topics concerning lands managed by the National Park Service. The series supports the advancement of science, informed decision-making, and the achievement of the National Park Service mission. The series also provides a forum for presenting more lengthy results that may not be accepted by publications with page limitations. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. This document was peer reviewed by three subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. This report is available in digital format from the South Florida Caribbean Network website and the Natural Resource Publications Management website. If you have difficulty accessing information in this publication, particularly if using assistive technology, please email [email protected]. Please cite this publication as: Ruiz, P. L., A. Lee, C. Thompson, I. Castillo, M. Guichardot, C. P. Perry, A. Arteaga Garcia, M. Foguer, M. C. Prats, E. Garcia, S. Lamosa, R. B. Shamblin, and K. R. T. Whelan. 2019. The Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve vegetation mapping project: Interim report—Eastern Big Cypress (Regions 5 & 6), Big Cypress National Preserve. Natural Resource Report NPS/SFCN/NRR—2019/2035. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 160/165405, 176/165405, October 2019 ii Contents Page Figures.................................................................................................................................................... v Tables ................................................................................................................................................... vii Photographs ........................................................................................................................................... ix Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ ix Acronyms and Abbreviations................................................................................................................ xi Contributors ........................................................................................................................................xiii Summary .............................................................................................................................................. xv Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................................. xvii Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve Vegetation Mapping Project ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan ................................................................................. 3 The National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Inventory Program ............................................. 3 Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve ...................................................... 4 Everglades National Park .......................................................................................................... 4 Big Cypress National Preserve .................................................................................................. 4 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 7 Imagery ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Photo-interpretation ........................................................................................................................ 7 Photogrammetric Workstation ................................................................................................... 8 Vegetation Map ....................................................................................................................... 10 Vegetation Data Collection .......................................................................................................... 10 Vegetation Classification System ................................................................................................. 13 Quality Assurance and Accuracy Assessment ............................................................................. 14 Photo-interpreter Assessment .................................................................................................. 14 QA/QC of Mapped Products ................................................................................................... 15 iii Contents (continued) Page Accuracy Assessment .............................................................................................................. 15 Results .................................................................................................................................................. 19 Vegetation..................................................................................................................................... 19 Accuracy Assessment ................................................................................................................... 29 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 33 Summary of Final Product and Deliverables ....................................................................................... 35 Literature Cited .................................................................................................................................... 37 iv Figures Page Figure 1. Greater Everglades mapping module and location of mapping regions within Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. ............................................................. 2 Figure 2. Location of Training Points (TP) and Verification Points (VP) collected in eastern Big Cypress, Regions 5 & 6, Big Cypress National Preserve ................................................. 11 Figure 3. Example of a datasheet used to collect vegetation data on this project. .............................. 12 Figure 4. Location of accuracy assessments (AA) points collected in eastern Big Cypress, Regions 5 & 6, Big Cypress National Preserve. ................................................................... 16 Figure 5. Generalized vegetation map of eastern Big Cypress, Regions 5 and 6, Big Cypress National Preserve. .................................................................................................................. 20 Figure 6. Distribution map and density of Brazilian pepper in eastern Big Cypress, Regions 5 & 6, Big Cypress National Preserve. .................................................................................. 27 Figure 7. Distribution map and density of Punktree in eastern Big Cypress, Regions 5 & 6, Big Cypress National Preserve.
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