The Cooperative Land Cover Map project is a partnership between FNAI and FWC to develop an improved statewide land cover map from existing sources. In Florida there is a wealth of habitat-related GIS data that vary in purpose (land use vs. land cover), classification, extent (site-based vs. statewide mapping), resolution and accuracy. Although no single system is adequate for all purposes, these data can be combined and synthesized to maximize the strengths of each. Moreover, independent and sometimes duplicative efforts exist to combine various data sets; thus there is a clear need to develop a single statewide land cover map based on best available data that has broad support and can be used by a diverse group of planners and managers. The project is funded by the Florida’s State Wildlife Grants program in support of the Florida Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy which identified improved habitat mapping as a priority data gap.

The project will be conducted over two years starting in July 2008. Tasks include mining local and regional data sources, conducting congruency analyses among data sources, reviewing aerial photography in problem areas, and combining data sources according to confidence level. We expect to hold several meetings with stakeholders/potential users/data providers throughout the project duration. This project will be guided by the expertise of FNAI, FWC, and Florida Geoplan, and others who have special knowledge of specific habitats. In the first year we will focus on under-protected communities including scrub, sandhill, dry prairie, and pine rocklands. The resulting data layer should meet the habitat mapping needs of the FWC and its partners and inform conservation planning and management throughout the state.

For more information or if you would like to participate in a stakeholder meeting contact Amy Knight, 850-224-8207.