Maps, photos, and data for all your needs

In order to accomplish your forestland objectives, it is helpful to have a few basic tools. One of the most basic, as well as important, is good maps.

There are many different kinds of maps, each with a different purpose and depicting a different set of information (or depicting the same information in a different manner). Maps are created at various scales that show more or less detail or features. It is necessary to choose the correct type of map with the correct scale for your purpose.

As a landowner, what information would be useful to you? You want to know where your property is, its boundaries and placement in a larger context—in the state, region, or watershed, for example. You probably want to know the elevation and topography of your land and surrounding areas. In addition, you may want information on structures, vegetation, soils, fire history, historical uses, weather data and much more. The possibilities are endless.

Traditional maps
Most people are familiar and comfortable with traditional paper maps such as road maps. We know how to read them—the orientation, legend, and scale make sense. Some common maps you might want to include in your personal collection:

Geological survey maps. These show general geological and landmark features. You can find these maps from the US Geological Service (USGS).

Topographic maps. These maps show the elevation of the land using contour lines on the map. Topographic maps show relief, slopes and drainage patterns of the land. The USGS has various scales of topographic maps—7.5 and 15 minute series.
Soils and vegetation maps can provide valuable information on erosion and stability, fire hazard and other data. Check with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to find out what maps are available.

Land use and ownership maps. Land use maps can identify what has been done to various areas such as mining, grazing, timber harvest, etc. These maps may be available from county agencies. The Bureau of Land Management. or Forest Service may also be good places to look.

GIS
Over the last several years, advances in technology have opened up whole new areas in the world of mapping. One of the most significant is Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, technology.

GIS is a computerized system of collecting and manipulating information so that various elements can be related to one another. For example, you might be interested in producing a map with topographical features, then add information on vegetation types, rainfall, and fire history. This map could then be analyzed to find out the relative fire danger of an area.

GIS maps require specialized software and data sets, or layers of information. The mapping possibilities are limited only by your imagination and the data sets available. Luckily, a number of government agencies have begun compiling information that is then made available to the public. FRAP, the Fire and Resource Assessment Program of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, is an excellent source of information. Private companies will also provide data sets for a fee.

GIS software can be quite complex and involves a steep learning curve. For those interested in playing with the technology, there are free, more limited versions of the software available and websites that provide data sets. One of the most widely used is ArcExplorer, from ESRI.

Aerial Photos
Air photos show an area looking straight down from an aircraft. Orthophotoquads are black & white photo images prepared from air photos that have been adjusted to eliminate image distortions. Orthophotomaps are multicolor orthophotoquads.

Historical photo sequences can provide greater insight into the conditions of the land. These sequences can show changes from natural and human-caused disturbances, changes in land use, vegetation changes, and more.

County assessors, planners, and public works departments often have historical aerial and other photography used for timber tax assessment or early land surveys. In addition, the US Forest Service and private timber companies also keep aerial records of their lands as do many public agencies.

Databases
If all this information seems a little daunting, hold on, we have yet another category: databases. Databases are collections of information, generally organized in ways that it can be sorted, manipulated, or otherwise analyzed. Some databases contain sensitive or restricted information and require a password for entry.

While some databases are static, that is, the information is just a plain list, most good databases are interactive. For example, the California Dept of Fish & Game has a database on California¹s plants and animals that allows the user to search for specific items of information. CERES, the California Environmental Resources Evaluation System, has a number of databases on watersheds, wetlands, and other topics of interest to landowners.

Access
So where do you find all this information? You can still find maps and photos by calling or visiting USGS, private companies, or other sources. But now, with computers and the internet, finding the information you need is easier and faster than ever before.
Those with computers have access to vast libraries and collections of maps and photos from the desktop. In addition, there is software available that allows you to manipulate the information and create your own customized maps or data sets. (Most of the software is available only for PC platforms so those with Macintosh computers will have to use a PC emulation program like Virtual PC.)

But this information does not necessarily come easily. The down side is that you can expect it to take time and effort (and patience) to learn to understand and use some of the websites and software. Assistance may be available on the websites themselves or you can talk to your local UC Cooperative Extension or other technical experts who may be able to help.

In addition, those with slow modem connections may encounter problems with manipulating maps online and interminable download times for maps and photos because you¹re working with extremely large files. Computers with faster internet connections may be available for public use at schools, colleges and libraries.

But while it may take some effort to become familiar with these new tools, the potential rewards in terms of valuable information are well worth the trouble.

see list of data sources