National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report, Pipe Spring National Monument Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2008/122 USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Pipe Spring National Monument ON THE COVER Winsor Castle (The Fort), Pipe Spring National Monument (Photograph by Janet Coles) USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Pipe Spring National Monument Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report, Pipe Spring National Monument Natural Resource Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2008/122 Janet Coles and Aneth Wight Northern Colorado Plateau Network National Park Service Moab, Utah Jim Von Loh engineering-environmental Management, Inc. Englewood, Colorado Keith Schulz NatureServe Boulder, Colorado Angie Evenden Northern Colorado Plateau Network National Park Service Moab, Utah September, 2008 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Fort Collins, Colorado USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Pipe Spring National Monument The Natural Resource Publication series addresses natural resource topics that are of interest and applicability to a broad readership in the National Park Service and to others in the management of natural resources, including the scientific community, the public, and the NPS conservation and environmental constituencies. Manuscripts are peer-reviewed to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and is designed and published in a professional manner. 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NPS D-221, September 2008 ii USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Pipe Spring National Monument Contents SUMMARY.................................................................................................................................. IX ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... XI INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1 Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project, Pipe Spring National Monument.................1 The USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program .....................................................................1 Northern Colorado Plateau Network Inventory and Monitoring Program...............................1 Vegetation Mapping Program Standards...............................................................................2 National Vegetation Classification Standard..........................................................................2 Other Standards.....................................................................................................................4 PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................5 Location and Setting ..............................................................................................................5 Topography............................................................................................................................6 Climate...................................................................................................................................8 Geology and Vegetation ........................................................................................................9 Soils .....................................................................................................................................12 Hydrology and Water Resources.........................................................................................14 Land Use..............................................................................................................................16 Previous Vegetation Studies................................................................................................19 PROJECT OVERVIEW...............................................................................................................20 Partner Roles and Timeline .................................................................................................20 Aerial Photography ..............................................................................................................21 Project Boundary and Map Extent .......................................................................................22 Minimum Mapping Unit ........................................................................................................22 Ecological System Classification .........................................................................................22 VEGETATION CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION ............................................................23 Pre-Field Methods................................................................................................................23 Preliminary Classification List.....................................................................................23 Field Methods ......................................................................................................................23 Field Sampling Approach ...........................................................................................23 Plot Data Collection....................................................................................................23 Observation Points .....................................................................................................26 Data Processing and Analysis....................................................................................26 Classification Data Analysis.................................................................................................27 Classification Results...........................................................................................................27 iii USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Pipe Spring National Monument Plant Community Descriptions.............................................................................................29 Woodland Associations ..............................................................................................29 Shrubland Associations..............................................................................................29 Herbaceous Associations...........................................................................................30 Riparian Associations.................................................................................................31 Field Key Preparation ..........................................................................................................31 FUELS DATA COLLECTION......................................................................................................32 VEGETATION MAPPING ...........................................................................................................33 Methods ...............................................................................................................................33 Field Reconnaissance ................................................................................................33 Map Class and Polygon Attribute Development .........................................................33 Park Specials..............................................................................................................35 Mapping......................................................................................................................35 Spatial Database Development..................................................................................35 Map Classes...............................................................................................................35