Digital ecosystem information portraying the location and boundaries of the ecosystem units in several file formats. The data are available in two geographic information system (GIS) formats (Shapefile and .E00) that can be used for analysis, and in a graphic format (JPEG) for display purposes only. The Service originally chose the U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic Unit Map as the foundation for delineating ecosystem unit boundaries on a national scale. Since that time, boundaries in some of the regions have been moved to the closest county boundaries to simplify management responsibilities. The current unit boundaries reflect this combination. Regional files will be called RNeco.extension, where N is the Region number and the extension will depend on the file type. The national coverage will be called FWSeco.extension. Any individual state or area coverage should be named using the two-letter state code, plus 'eco', plus the extension (for example, hieco.jpg for the Hawaii JPEG file).
The data were used to create the JPEG graphics that are being used to illustrate the ecosystems. It has been edited from the initial coverages that were used for national review, and could be considered a final draft version.
Publication Date
Refuge boundary data were compiled for use with natural resource mapping and GIS applications. It is inappropriate to use these data in legal situations, or other applications where spatial error cannot exceed the USGS 7.5-minute mapping standards.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
IRTM - BCT
PO Box 25207 - DFC.
The files have been edited from the initial coverages that were used for national review, and could be considered a final draft version.
Software capabilities were used to ensure arcs have no dangling nodes and intersection errors and to check polygons for label errors.
The source information provided here should be considered 'final' draft, although most of the known discrepancies have been resolved through the review process. There are still a number of data slivers that need to be processed and cleaned up.
Digital boundary was overlain on USGS 7.5 minute topo. quad(s) (DRG). Data are stored in ArcInfo double precision.
Graphic files in JPEG format illustrating the ecosystems
The ArcView files were used to create the JPEG graphics that are being used to illustrate the ecosystems. They have been edited from the initial coverages that were used for national review, and could be considered a final draft version. There are still slivers that are apparent when the regional layers are put side by side; this is caused by the widely varying sources of the data. All the major changes to the data have been made however.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
IRTM - BCT
PO Box 25207 - DFC.
Internal feature number.
ESRI
Feature geometry.
ESRI
Official names used by the Service to identify the ecosystem unit boundaries of the United States, which are drawn primarily along watershed boundaries.
USFWS
Official names used by the Service to identify the ecosystem unit boundaries of the United States, which are drawn primarily along watershed boundaries.
USFWS
Two-digit numbers that represent the ecosystem unit boundaries of the United States, which are drawn primarily along watershed boundaries
USFWS
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
IRTM - BCT
PO Box 25207 - DFC.
Although these data and information have been processed successfully on a computer system at the USFWS, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data and information on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data, and information, and aggregate use with other data and information. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data and information. The USFWS shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data and information described and/or contained herein.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
IRTM - BCT
PO Box 25207 - DFC.