A Preliminary Assessment of the Status of Major Terrestrial and Wetland Ecosystems on Federal and Indian Lands in the United States

Abstract

Abstract:Major terrestrial and wetland ecosystems in the United States were described by 135 Küchler potential natural vegetation (PNV) types. Their occurrence on federal and Indian lands was then determined by computer overlay of PNV maps on the National Geographic Society's 1982 map of America's Federal Lands. Based on the map scales used it was determined that at least 33 of 135 PNV types (24%) are inadequately represented on federal and Indian lands. Nine of the 33 have no representation. Eleven others have relatively little representation and are either naturally rare or have been largely converted to nonnatural uses. All federal agencies and the Indian lands have large gaps in their ecosystem coverage. Among agencies with nationwide land management systems and strong conservation mandates, the percentage of major ecosystem types with no apparent representation on these agenlands is: US Forest Service, 27 percent; National Park Service, 33 percent; and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 53 percent. The Bureau of Land Management, Department of Defense, and Indian lands collectively play an important role in supplementing the current coverage of the other agencies.Because of inaccuracies associated with the small‐scale maps that were analyzed and the nature of PNV types, these results are preliminary and should be used only for general planning. Inclusion of a PNV type within a management unit, based on map overlay, does not ensure that mature vegetation representative of that type actually is present on the ground Additional assessments would have to be made to determine the type and health of existing vegetation within the mil, as well as the amount of future protection that the unit would be expected to provide.Cooperation among federal, state, and local agencies and private organizations is needed to provide a cost‐effective program of national ecosystem Conservation. More detailed state and regional surveys can be used to improve the accuracy of this preliminary national survey.