Wilderness

Last updated on 7/28/2023 2:20:46 PM.

Overview

This data layer consists of National Wilderness Preservation System areas in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The map layer was created by combining the best available data from the federal agency responsible for administration of a given wilderness area. Where larger scale data could not be obtained, the National Atlas layer "National Wilderness Preservation System" was used as the data source. In its present form source data varies from a scale of 1:10000 to 1:2,000,000.

Data Input

In its present state these data are intended for geographic display and analysis at the national level, and for large regional areas. This is a work in progress and dates on individual records represent the last known update date (see accompanying spreadsheet at http://www.wilderness.net/GIS/WildernessUpdates.xls and cross reference using WID for contact/source information where available). The intent is to replace smaller scale data with larger scale data as it becomes available. It is hoped that the end result will be a dataset at or near national map accuracy standards for 1:24000 (1:36000 for Alaska) scale data. In its present form source data varies from a scale of 1:10000 to 1:2,000,000 (see lineage for details on source scale).

Caution: The data displayed in WFDSS are intended for STRATEGIC USE ONLY. Always verify the positional accuracy of the data with local knowledge.

Disclaimer

This dataset is managed by Wilderness Connect, a long-standing project through the University of Montana, as both a feature service and a tile service. This data is available for public use of any kind. Crediting Wilderness Connect is requested. Wilderness Connect maintains and updates wilderness boundary data annually using official national agency wilderness GIS sources and acreage data from agency Realty Offices. More frequent updates occur as needed to add newly designated or expanded areas. As such, this consistently remains the most current and accurate wilderness dataset available online. Feature-level metadata is available for each feature in this dataset and documents when features were updated, why, and the source of new boundaries.

Data Information

Data source:

www.wilderness.net

Extent:

National

Projection/Datum:

GCS, NAD 83

Data Layer Download:

Wilderness.net Hosted Feature Service

Interactive Map:

U.S. National Wilderness Preservation System Map

 

GIS Team Contacts

The WFDSS application is "data rich". It requires data which is spatially oriented and graphically displays information to support wildland fire and other natural resource decisions. Due to the type and number of interagency spatial data sets required in April 2009 an interagency GIS Team was formed to provide data support for WFDSS. This Team is responsible for acquiring, consolidating, and validating their agency spatial and tabular data. In addition this team developed and maintained communications among local, regional, and national agency personnel to improve the collection process and provide explicit guidance on data needs. The members of the WFDSS GIS Team are:

Table 1: WFDSS GIS Team Contacts

 

WFMRD&A

Amanda Rumsey
Data Scientist
208.830.0160
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WFMRD&A

Jonah Vaughan
GIS Specialist
406.531.4702
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WFMRD&A

Susan McClendon
GIS Specialist
208.258.4244
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BLM - AFS

Jennifer L. Jenkins
GIS Specialist
907.356.5587
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BLM - NIFC

Julie Osterkamp
Natural Resource Specialist
801.520.8702
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BIA - NIFC

Joseph Kafka
Fire Management Specialist
208.387.5572
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NPS - NIFC

Skip Edel
Fire - GIS Program Lead
303.969.2947
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USFS - NIFC

Cole Belongie
Data Coordinator
208.488.5246
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USFWS - NIFC

Andrew Bailey
National Fire Planner
208-387-5345
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