FLORIDA GEOGRAPHIC DATA LIBRARY DOCUMENTATION
VERSION 2005
TITLE: GREENWAYS PROJECT ECOLOGICAL MODEL RESULTS MODIFIED BY PUBLIC/LANDOWNER
Geodataset Name: GWECOL Geodataset Type: Grid Geodataset Feature: Polygon
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
This dataset contains the Ecological Network Results of the Florida Greenways GIS Decision Support Model as modified by public and landowner comment based on the deletion of properties owned by private landowners requesting removal of their lands from the Ecological Network.
RESOLUTION: 180m X 180m GRID TYPE: Integer DATA SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA GEOPLAN CENTER DATE OF AUTOMATION OR SOURCE: 1995 - 1998 SCALE: NA GEODATASET EXTENT: State of Florida
FEATURE ATTRIBUTE TABLES
Data file Name: GWECO.VAT
COL ITEM NAME WIDTH OUTPUT TYPE N.DEC ALT. NAME 1 VALUE 4 10 B - - 5 COUNT 4 10 B - - 9 DESCRIPT 100 100 C - -
FEATURE ATTRIBUTE TABLES CODES AND VALUES
Item Item description
VALUE Cell Value:
VALUES DESCRIPTION
0 Background (not in modified results)
1 Ecological Network Model Results Modified by Public and Landowner
Comment
COUNT Number of cells for each value.
DESCRIPT Based on VALUE item description.
USER NOTES:
Ecological Model results as modified by public comment were reviewed by private landowners in public forums and in arranged individual meetings. Since the greenways program is intended to be voluntary and not regulatory, as described in Section 260.0141, Florida Statutes, the FDEP agreed to develop a third product of the planning process that would remove lands from inclusion within the ecological and trails results when so requested by the land owner. Approximately 60 landowners requested the removal of their lands, and these modified results reflect the removal of lands owned by landowners who requested removal and provided appropriate maps or digital data to sufficiently indicate their property boundaries.
The identified Ecological Network integrates and connects existing conservation areas and currently unprotected areas of high ecological significance, and this information can be used in concert with other information on conservation priorities to develop a more integrated regional landscape protection strategy. For a detailed description of the data used, analytical methods, and modeling process, see: The Florida Greenways Project Final Report, Phase II, Carr, Margaret H., Paul D. Zwick, Thomas S. Hoctor and Mark A. Benedict. Departments of Landscape Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning, and Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida. A digital version of this report in pdf format should be available on the web at:
www.geoplan.ufl.edu by June, 1999.
However, this dataset has been affected by the removal of lands based on landowner requests. Therefore, parts of the Ecological Network model results connected in GWECO or GWECOP may no longer include connections and could be completely isolated due to the vagaries of removal based solely on landowner request. No attempt has been made in this dataset to redesign the Ecological Network based on the impacts of the removal of these properties.
It should also be considered that this dataset is at a resolution of 180 meters (180 m X 180 m cells), which is approximately 8 acre squares. Therefore, users should not expect great accuracy at high resolutions. The modeling and identification effort of a statewide ecological network is intended to serve as a general basis for state level conservation planning. It may serve as an adequate framework or guide for regional and local conservation planning efforts, but it should be supplemented by more resolute datasets and analyses especially at the local level. The conservation/land protection process should also always include ground-truthing to evaluate sites in the field. In addition, this data is based on land use information that, by its nature, is outdated. An effort was made to update land use data provided by the Water Management Districts, mostly completed in 1990, by comparing this data with 1994-1995 SPOT 10 meter resolution imagery. All areas that appeared to be converted to development (residential, commercial, industrial but not including conversion to intensive agriculture)were added to avoid identifying areas as ecologically significant that are now developed. However, it should be obvious that development continues at a rapid pace, and areas identified in the model results could now be converted to intensive land uses or could be converted in the near future.
Pursuant to Chapter 260.0141 Florida Statutes: The Opportunities as illustrated by this data layer are intended to establish an informational framework for voluntary participation by citizens, private property owners and all levels of government subject to the following limitations:
This data layer reflects private lands data received by the University of Florida GeoPlan Center as of December 31, 1998.
Establishment of the Greenways and Trails System is a dynamic process. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Greenways Coordinating Council (FGCC) have made every effort to work with private landowners and public land managers to assure them the Statewide Greenways and Trails Program is voluntary. As a result, DEP and the FGCC agreed to remove conservation/ecological features from this map if they occur within the ownership of those who do not wish to have their lands included. Therefore, the Conservation/Ecological Opportunities included in this data layer do not represent a complete statewide vision. This data layer represents a vision as modified by requests from landowners to remove or include their lands in the system.
Some of the Implementation Opportunities in the Southwest DEP District occur in areas being actively mined for phosphate or for which mining is planned. These mining activities are subject to numerous regulatory requirements within the overall mining/ reclamation approval process that may or may not result in lands suitable for inclusion in the greenways and trails system. Designation of phosphate lands as part of the statewide system shall occur only if agreed to by the landowner/mining company and DEP.
Additional lands, particularly in the Northeast region of the state, have been requested to be removed from future depictions of the statewide system. The Department of Environmental Protection will make every effort to obtain the data and boundary information necessary to honor these requests.
FGDL QUALITY ASSURANCE STATUS:
-Added DESCRIPT item based on VALUE item description
REFERENCES: Cox, J., Kautz, R., MacLaughlin, M., and Gilbert, T. (1994). Closing the gaps in Florida's wildlife habitat conservation system. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Office of Environmental Services.
Florida Greenways Commission. (1994). Creating a Statewide Greenways System
For People...For Wildlife...For Florida - Florida Greenways Commission Report
to the Governor. Tallahassee, FL: 1000 Friends of Florida.
Florida Natural Areas Inventory. (1995). Florida Natural Areas Inventory Datasets. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Natural Areas Inventory.
Harris, L.D. (1985). Conservation Corridors: a highway system for wildlife. ENFO:85-5. Winter Park: FL: Florida Conservation Foundation.
Harris, L. D., T. Hoctor, D. Maehr and J. Sanderson. (1996). The role of networks and corridors in enhancing the value and protection of parks and equivalent areas. Pp. 173-198 in Wright, R. G., ed. National Parks and Protected Areas: Their Role in Environmental Areas. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Science.
Noss, R. F. 1987. Protecting natural areas in fragmented landscapes. Natural Areas Journal 7:2-13.
Noss, R. F. and L. D. Harris. (1986). Nodes, Networks and MUMs: Preserving Diversity at All Scales. Environment Management 10:299-309.
Pritchard, P.C.H., and Kale, H.W. (1994). Saving what's left. Casselberry, FL: Florida Audubon Society.
Smith, D.S., and P.C. Hellmund, (Eds.). (1993). Ecology of Greenways - Design and Function of Linear Conservation Areas. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minneapolis Press.
The Nature Conservancy. (1991). Preservation 2000 Charette and Map. Tallahassee, FL: The Nature Conservancy.
University of Florida. (1996). Final Report for Phase I of the Statewide Greenways System Planning Project. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, Department of Landscape Architecture and GeoPlan Center, Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
DATA LINEAGE SUMMARY:
This dataset is a further modified version of the Ecological Results of the Florida Greenways GIS Decision Support Model (GWECO) as Modified by Public Comment (represented by the data layer GWECOP) based on recommendations from landowner comment. See the University of Florida Final Report* for the modeling process. Land areas delineated by hard copy maps (digitized by GeoPlan) and digital maps received from Florida landowners were removed from the GWECOP to create this dataset.
*Carr, Margaret H., Paul D. Zwick, Thomas S. Hoctor and Mark A. Benedict Final Report, Phase II, Florida Statewide Greenways Planning Project, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Florida, February, 1999.
MAP PROJECTION PARAMETERS:
Projection ALBERS Units METERS Datum HPGN Spheroid GRS1980 1st standard parallel 24 0 0.000 2nd standard parallel 31 30 0.000 central meridian -84 0 0.000 latitude of projection's origin 24 0 0.000 false easting (meters) 400000.00000 false northing (meters) 0.00000
DATA SOURCE CONTACT(S):
Name: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA GEOPLAN CENTER
Abbr.name: GeoPlan
Address: PO Box 115706
Gainesville, FL 32611-5706
Web site: www.geoplan.ufl.edu
Contact Person: Greenways Project Contact
Email: greenways@geoplan.ufl.edu
FGDL CONTACT:
Name: FLORIDA GEOGRAPHIC DATA LIBRARY
Abbr. Name: FGDL
Address: Florida Geographic Data Library
431 Architecture Building
PO Box 115706
Gainesville, FL 32611-5706
Web site: http://www.fgdl.org
Contact FGDL:
Technical Support: http://www.fgdl.org/fgdlfeed.html
FGDL Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.fgdl.org/fgdlfaq.html
FGDL Mailing Lists: http://www.fgdl.org/fgdl-l.html
For FGDL Software: http://www.fgdl.org/software.html