PAD-US 2.0 Review Summary Tables

The Review Summary Tables summarized the PAD-US database by attributes for final review by the PAD-US team. Given the immense size of the database, it was not feasible to review each unit individually. These tables provided a manageable way to review the completed database for consistency and accuracy of scripted processes. The tables were created by calculating the frequency of unique values by attribute (or field). Tables were also created for each feature class (Proclamation, Marine, Fee, Easements, Designation, and Combined). Tables summarized both standardized fields (State Name, IUCN Category, GAP Status Code, Designation Type, Category, Agency Type, Agency Name, Public Access) as well as non-standardized...

PAD-US 2.0 QA/QC Script Used in Data Processing

The Quality Assessment / Quality Control (QA/QC) Script includes a checklist of the conditions that must be met prior to PAD-US aggregation. The PAD-US development team uses a Python script to generate a QA/QC report based on the items on this checklist. Issues are flagged in reports to support additional review and formatting by data stewards or the PAD-US Team to ensure all PAD-US input files are in a common format to the extent possible. The QA/QC script is run each time a source file is submitted, supporting dialog with data stewards to address corrections as needed. The checklist is summarized below: QA/QC CHECKLIST FOR INPUTS TO PAD-US Check Projection and Geographic Coordinate System Check format...

PAD-US 2.0 Magnitude of Change Assessment

The Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is an aggregation of data from many agencies and data sources. The database covers a broad geographic area including all 50 U.S. States, a variety of U.S. Territories, as well as marine areas. PAD-US has evolved to include more than just areas focused on biodiversity protection and now also includes areas with historical, recreational, and / or cultural significance. Data aggregated in PAD-US represents best available data during the aggregation period. Data provided for each version represents changes due to new acquisitions, new designations, as well as degazetted data. Changes also occur due to updates and availability of digital spatial data. This assessment...

Categories: Data

PAD-US 2.0 Local Agency to Agency Name Crosswalk

A python script is used to crosswalk data provided by PAD-US contributors, referencing the land owner or managing entity for a unit, into standardized PAD-US geodatabase domain tables. PAD-US retains source data as provided in “Local Owner” and “Local Manager”. These fields often provide additional detail to compliment “Owner Name” and “Manager Name”, respectively.

Categories: Data

PAD-US 2.0 Multiple Feature Class Script Used in Data Processing

The PAD-US 2.0 Multiple Feature Class (MFC) Python Script used in data processing determined unit/record placement in the Fee and Designation feature classes of the PAD-US 2.0 geodatabase. The fully expanded PAD-US 2.0 geodatabase structure better manages management designations overlapping fee ownership (for example, a Wilderness Area boundary over a National Forest boundary) and other data types (for example, easements and marine areas) for various applications. The primary goal for PAD-US 2.0 was to create a fee ownership feature class with the least amount of topology overlaps possible, while representing a complete ownership ‘footprint’ given known data gaps in source data provided by agencies. The FGDC Federal...

Blank PAD-US 2.0 Schema

The blank schema includes all the components to build PAD-US 2.0, including multiple feature classes (Fee, Designation, Easement, Proclamation, Marine, Combined), core attributes, and all standardized domain tables (State Name, IUCN Category, GAP Status Code, Designation Type, Category, Agency Type, Agency Name, Public Access). The Marine and Easement feature classes also include additional fields unique to the NOAA Marine Protected Areas Inventory and National Conservation Easement Database (sole sources for data in the Marine and Easement feature classes, respectively). In addition, the Blank PAD-US 2.0 Schema includes the National Sub-State Geography Geodatabase (tlgdb_2016_a_us_substategeo.gdb) that served...

PAD-US 2.0 Provisional Data Manual Tables and Crosswalks

PAD-US database aggregation involves the compilation of thousands of agency and nonprofit data files from nearly 100 data stewards or aggregators. Data aggregation and development are an ongoing and evolving process as data contributor, user, and stakeholder feedback are integrated. The PAD-US Data Manual and geodatabase schema have changed with each PAD-US version to reflect available source data and needs. The PAD-US 2.0 Provisional Data Manual Tables and Crosswalks workbook describe all PAD-US geodatabase domain codes and descriptions (e.g. Agency Name, Designation Type) as well as the crosswalks used to format source data into the PAD-US schema (e.g. Local Agency to Agency Name, Local Designation Type to Designation...

Categories: Data

PAD-US 2.0 Default Categorical Assignment Process

A python script is used to assign conservation (GAP Status Code, IUCN Category) and recreation access (Public Access) measures, in the absence of other information, to ensure complete attribution of these fields in the PAD-US database. This is applied to new areas (without locally assigned measures) and areas transferred from previous PAD-US versions where GAP Code Source, IUCN Category Source or Public Access Source = GAP - Default (indicating default categorical assignment). Areas transferred with locally assigned or reviewed measures are exempt from this process. The script assigns GAP Status Code, a national measure of management intent to protect biodiversity, directly from a crosswalk by Designation Type,...

PAD-US 2.0 Reconciliation Script Used in Data Processing

The PAD-US 2.0 Reconciliation Script is a python script used in data processing to transfer select attributes (GAP Status Code, IUCN Category, Public Access, Date of Establishment) between PAD-US updates. These attributes are generally unavailable in agency source data submitted for PAD-US updates, but have previously been locally assigned or reviewed. The script does not transfer categorically assigned measures; these are applied to each update following a crosswalk from Designation Type (and size in some cases) described in PAD-US Standard Tables and attributed as “GAP - Default” in associated reference fields. The PAD-US geodatabase tracks the methods used to assign measures in the GAP Status Code Source, IUCN...

PAD-US 2.0 Topology Overlap Assessment

As an aggregated data inventory, PAD-US contains thousands of data sources which are all integrated into one combined database. The policy of USGS is to accept agency data “as is” and translate them into the PAD-US format. Boundaries created by a specific agency or data steward may not fully align with those of another, creating GIS topology errors (mostly minor boundary discrepancies) associated with fee parcel ownership. In addition, more than one agency may submit an area for PAD-US without complete attributes that differentiate the fee owner and land manager. The FGDC Federal Lands Working Group (FLWG, https://communities.geoplatform.gov/ngda-govunits/federal-lands-workgroup/) and the PAD-US Team made great...