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Contribute Polygon Event Data

LANDFIRE (LF) would like to acknowledge and thank everyone who has contributed data.

Polygon data for disturbance and treatment activities are processed and maintained in an events geodatabase. The LF Events Geodatabase is used to inform biennial updates to existing vegetation and fuel layers. Event polygons reflect landscape change from:

• recent natural disturbance
• land management activities

LF primary focus for this data call is to collect disturbance and treatment polygons from 2015/2016 to be evaluated for use in the next update. If you submit more recent or older data, LF will archive the data for evaluation and potential use in future mapping updates or comprehensive remaps. Refer to Disturbance Data Processing to learn how LF evaluates and processes polygon data.

To submit your data, please follow steps 1-5.

1) Inventory your data.

Types of polygon data needed for LF updating.

Category	Theme or Event(polygon)
Fire	Wildfires
	Wildland Fire Use
	Prescribed Fires
Other Disturbances	Insects and Disease
	Weather Damage
Other Treatments	Harvest/Thinning
	Seeding/Planting
	Other Mechanical
	Chemical
Other Information	Exotic Plant Infestations






2) Ensure that all data layers have a defined spatial coordinate system.




Ensure that all data layers have a defined spatial coordinate system

While there are several ways to check data's spatial reference in ArcCatalog, a common method is to double-click on the layer in the Catalog Tree (or right-click on the layer and choose Properties) and click on the XY Coordinate System tab in the Properties dialog box. A typical spatial reference might be Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), a UTM Zone Number, and a Horizontal Datum of NAD83. If the spatial reference is not defined, it will display as Unknown. (Alternatively, you can use Windows Explorer to confirm that the coordinate system is defined for a shapefile by finding its projection file, which will have a ".prj" file extension.)

If the spatial coordinate system is Unknown (as is the case when no .prj file is included in your shapefile), one must be assigned using the Select or Import buttons on the XY Coordinate System tab dialog box. You can also use the Define Projection tool in ArcToolbox. Contact helpdesk@landfire.gov if you have additional questions about assigning the correct coordinate system. A representative of the LF team will respond with further guidance.






3) Attribute your data.



Attribute your data


Each data layer should contain the requested attributes to support the LF update process. Ensuring that your polygons are as consistently and completely attributed as possible will maximize their utility for LF updates. Existing field names in your attribute table(s) need not match those requested for LF. The content, however, should match as closely as possible.

At a minimum, event type and year of occurrence must be provided for each polygon record to be used in LF updates.





4) Review the data layers.

Review the data layers

Please confirm that all records are as complete as possible and that any duplicate records or polygons have been removed.





5) Data transfer.

Data Transfer

We will accept data in various formats, including ESRI shapefiles, geodatabases, and ArcInfo coverages. Supporting information, including definitions of the fields and any codes in the data tables, should accompany the data to ensure that they can be interpreted correctly.

Once you have gathered your data, please send it to Brenda Lundberg, the LF Data Administrator. You may email data smaller than 25MB to Brenda Lundberg at brenda.lundberg.ctr@usgs.gov. If the files are too large to send via email, contact Brenda Lundberg for alternative file transfer options.



Please contact Brenda Lundberg at (406) 329-3405 or brenda.lundberg.ctr@usgs.gov for more information.

LF Reference Data Requirements provides more information on LF disturbance and treatment polygon data needs.

See an overview depicting LF 2012, 2010, and 2008 reference statistics.

For data submission, questions, or you are aware of other data sources, contact:

Brenda Lundberg
LANDFIRE Reference Data Administrator
brenda.lundberg.ctr@usgs.gov
406-329-3405