Release of the Terrestrial Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring Database
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240-0036
http://www.blm.gov
March 3, 2016
In Reply Refer To:
1110, 1283, 1610, 1734, 1742, 4180, (200) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 03/04/2016
Information Bulletin No. 2016-029
To: | All Washington Office and Field Office Officials | |
From: | Assistant Director, Resources and Planning | |
Subject: | Release of the Terrestrial Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring Database | |
Purpose: This IB acknowledges the availability of the Terrestrial Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Database (TerrADat). This database is released for internal and external use subject to proprietary data restrictions and the disclaimer described below (See Disclaimer).
Background: TerrADat contains plot level terrestrial core indicators calculated from raw data collected using the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) standardized methodology for monitoring. Terrestrial Core Indicators include bare ground, vegetation composition, plant species of management concern, non-native invasive plant species, vegetation height, and plant canopy gaps. Common supplemental indicators, rangeland health, and soil aggregate stability are also in TerrADat. This information is non-decisional. Additional information about the AIM strategy can be found in the BLM Technical Note:
https://www.blm.gov/download/file/fid/20560
Information Availability
AIM Report: A press release will announce the public availability of the TerrADat database. Once announced, the data will be available on the Landscape Geoportal:
http://www.landscape.blm.gov/geoportal/catalog/main/home.page.
Certified datasets and related products may be released prior to the report announcement.
AIM Data Related Products: Attachment 1 describes the AIM data related products released with this IB and provides a hyperlink to the online BLM Landscape Geoportal, AIM tab, where data products can be accessed. Within the portal, the Data Catalog and Map Catalog list currently available data related products. Additional data related products will be added to the BLM Landscape Geoportal, AIM tab as they become available for release.
Internal Access - BLM: Access to the data related products will be through the BLM Enterprise Geographic Information System and the Geospatial Gateway.
The entire organization will have the ability to discover, analyze, use, and share all non-proprietary information.
External Access - All Public Users: Data related products approved for release will be available to the public through the BLM Landscape Geoportal, AIM tab:
http://www.landscape.blm.gov/geoportal/catalog/main/home.page.
This portal will provide access to mapping products, certified data, models, and derived products. The metadata will be posted in Federal Geographic Data Committee nodes to allow harvesting of the data through nationally recognized geospatial portals.
Disclaimer: The following disclaimer statements are applied to the BLM data generated under the AIM strategy. For public records (external distribution) and those discretionary/enhanced records (electronic products available for online viewing and/or hardcopy output available to the public) the following disclaimers shall be used:
Distributor Liability: The BLM assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. No warranty is made by the BLM as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate use with other data; nor shall the act of distribution to contractors, partners, or beyond, constitute any such warranty for individual or aggregate data use with other data. Although these data have been processed successfully on computers of the BLM, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the BLM regarding the use of these data on any other system, or for general or scientific purposes, nor does the fact of distribution constitute or imply any such warranty. In no event shall the BLM have any liability, whatsoever, for payment of any consequential, incidental, indirect, special, or tort damages of any kind, including, but not limited to, any loss of profits arising out of the use or reliance on the geographic data or arising out of the delivery, installation, operation, or support by BLM.
Access Constraints: None. These data are considered public domain.
Use Constraints: These data are provided by BLM “as is” and may contain errors or omissions. The user assumes the entire risk associated with its use of these data and bears all responsibility in determining whether these data are appropriate for the intended use.
The information contained in these data is dynamic and may change over time. The data are not better than the original sources from which they were derived, and both scale and accuracy may vary across the data set. These data may not have the accuracy, resolution, completeness, timeliness, or other characteristics appropriate for applications that potential users of the data may contemplate. The user is encouraged to carefully consider the content of the metadata file associated with these data. These data are neither legal documents nor land surveys, and must not be used as such. Official records may be referenced at the BLM National Operations Center (NOC). Please report any errors in the data to the point of contact listed in the metadata from which the information was obtained.
The BLM should be cited as the data source in any products derived from these data. Any users wishing to modify the data should describe the types of modifications they have performed. The user should not misrepresent the data, nor imply that changes made were approved or endorsed by BLM. This information may be updated without notification.
This dataset was created to monitor the status, condition and trend of national BLM resources in accordance with the BLM policies. The methodology used for the collection of these data can be found on landscapetoolbox.org and the Monitoring Manual, 2nd Edition. These data should not be used for statistical or spatial inferences without knowledge of how the sample design was drawn or without calculating spatial weights for the points based on the sample design.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Michael H. Tupper Robert M. Williams
Acting, Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-860
Resources and Planning
1 Attachments