Base Cartography Data
Background
The Base Cartography inventory is one of 12 core inventories identified by the National Park Service as essential to effectively manage park natural resources.
Base cartographic information from this inventory provides geographic information systems (GIS) data layers to National Park resource management staff, researchers, and research partners. The inventory acquires, processes, and distributes GIS data that complement other inventory projects, as well as many GIS mapping and analysis projects throughout the Park Service.
Base cartographic inventory products are used by the National Park Service and others for many different applications, ranging from making maps, to spatial data verification, to designing monitoring sampling frameworks. For example, the digital raster graphics and digital orthophotos (see below), provide credible, high-resolution spatial information that can be used to verify the spatial accuracy of cartographic products. The thematic information content in existing digital line graph products and elevation data sets are very useful for analysis to ensure the range of landscape conditions is reflected in monitoring sampling designs.
Products
The program delivers six customized products:
- Digital Elevation Models (DEM)
- Digital Line Graphs (DLG)
- Digital Raster Graphics (DRG)
- Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quadrangles (DOQQ)
- National Elevation Dataset (NED)
- National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery
The final products, when completed, will be kept up-to-date, in a seamless format, and ready for use in ESRI GIS software packages. Some additional derived products are included, such as hillshade, aspect, and slope grids which are created from elevation data.
Status(June 2008)
This inventory is currently in progress. The NPS Data Store is the primary distribution point for base cartography data; however, many of the earlier USGS quadrangle- based datasets can be downloaded through the Legacy Natural Resource FTP site, DOQQs excluded. Check both locations when searching for USGS base cartography data. Special requests for data may be made by contacting the Natural Resource GIS Program directly.
More Information
- Email Peter Budde, Inventory Coordinator - ph: (970) 225-3559
- Examples of Base Cartographic Maps
- NPS Data Store Many of the base cartography datasets may be searched and downloaded here.
- Legacy NR-FTP Some datasets produced earlier in the base cartography inventory will not be found at the NPS Data Store. Use the Legacy Natural Resource FTP Search tool to access these datasets.
- Special Requests
- Natural Resource GIS Program home page