DESCRIPTION

Building on the foundational concepts introduced in Part 1, this intermediate session transitions from broad public outreach to practical stewardship and natural resource conservation applications. Land stewardship is complex and relies on a variety of tools, knowledge, and practical approaches that are often site-specific. A comprehensive, standardized language and comparable data provide tools that cross site and jurisdictional boundaries, allowing for better collaboration, knowledge sharing, and cooperative stewardship practices. The U.S. National Vegetation Classification (USNVC) provides this framework. This session will provide a quick review of the USNVC structure before proceeding into a comprehensive walkthrough of the newly released USNVC 3.0, highlighting key updates and new publicly available resources. We will guide you on how to navigate and use the USNVC and associated tools, including demonstrations on how to find the information you need. You will learn how to understand and interpret the USNVC vegetation type descriptions, apply names from all levels of the hierarchy, and use the new Macrogroup Key and USNVC Group Maps. Additionally, we will demonstrate how to use the USNVC Hierarchy Explorer and NatureServe Explorer. To bring these concepts to life, we will explore how the USNVC provides key information that serves as a foundation for a suite of applications, including vegetation mapping, ecological monitoring, ecological integrity assessments, land use planning, biodiversity conservation, and setting concrete targets for restoration. Case studies will be presented, and a diverse panel of USNVC experts, editors, and users will be available to answer questions and discuss how they have applied the USNVC to all areas of open space stewardship and natural resource conservation. In addition to the panel being available for questions, ample time is built into the session to allow for interactive discussion during the demonstrations and learning opportunities.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

EXPERIENCE LEVEL:

Intermediate