Under contract to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), California Native Plant Society (CNPS) created a fine-scale vegetation map of portions of the Millerton Lake East quadrangle, including protected areas of Big Table Mountain and the McKenzie Preserve at Table Mountain. CNPS conducted field reconnaissance assistance for this project, as well as accuracy assessment (AA) field data collection. CDFW’s Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP) provided in-kind service to allocate and score the AA.

The mapping study area, consists of approximately 11,505 acres, of Fresno and Madera Counties. Work was performed on the project between 2008 and 2010. The primary purpose of the project was to generate an accurate and detailed basemap of a focus area within the southern Sierra Nevada Foothills, supported by field surveys, that would assist in long-term management of sensitive plant communities. Additionally, this map was created to further CDFW’s goal of developing fine-scale digital vegetation maps as part of the California Biodiversity Initiative Roadmap of 2018.

CNPS under separate contract and in collaboration with CDFW VegCAMP developed the floristic vegetation classification used for the project. The floristic classification follows protocols compliant with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and National Vegetation Classification Standards (NVCS).

The vegetation map was produced applying heads-up digitizing techniques using a 2009 base of one-meter National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery (true-color and color infrared), in conjunction with ancillary data and imagery sources. Map polygons are assessed for Vegetation Type, Percent Cover, Exotics, Development Disturbance, and other attributes. The minimum mapping unit (MMU) is 1 acre.

Field reconnaissance and accuracy assessment enhanced map quality. There was a total of 24 mapping classes.