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Geospatial data for the Vegetation Mapping Inventory Project of Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Metadata Updated: November 14, 2025

The files linked to this reference are the geospatial data created as part of the completion of the baseline vegetation inventory project for the NPS park unit. Current format is ArcGIS file geodatabase but older formats may exist as shapefiles.

Collectively, the CAHA spatial database layer is composed of 2,437 polygons covering 11,749 ha, with an average polygon size of 8.5 ha. Map classes representing natural/semi-natural types in the NVCS apply to 1,924 polygons (79.0% of all polygons) covering 7,401.6 ha (63.0 % of entire area) with an average polygon size of 3.6 ha. Of these natural/semi-natural types, the Atlantic Coast Interdune Swale dominates, both in frequency of polygons (488), and in size (2,050 ha). Needlerush High Marsh is also a widespread association with 408 polygons covering 1,279.9 ha.

Non-vegetated areas (including developed areas and water) consist of 513 polygons (21.1% of all polygons) and cover 4,347.9 ha (37.0% of the entire area). Developed areas in the park include the NPS Visitor Center and maintenance buildings, roads, private residences, and commercial buildings.

Wetlands consist of 1881 polygons (77.1% of all polygons) and cover 8,148 ha (69.3% of entire area). Wetland areas consist non-vegetated areas such as the ocean, sound, and ponds in addition to vegetated polygons.Vegetation associations in the NVCS that are considered wetlands according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service include the following: Maritime Red Bay Shrub Swamp, Coastal Loblolly Pine Wetland Forest, Atlantic Coast Stiff Dogwood Dune Swale, Atlantic Coast Interdune Swale, Groundsel-tree – Maritime Marsh Elder Tidal Shrubland Alliance, Seaside Oxeye Tidal Shrub Flat, Chestnut Fimbry – Common Threesquare Seasonally Flooded Herbaceous Vegetation, Southern Cattail – Giant Foxtail Herbaceous Vegetation, Tidal Sawgrass Marsh, Needlerush High Marsh, Reed Tidal Marsh, Southern Atlantic Coast Salt Marsh, and Mid-Atlantic High Salt Marsh.

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

Downloads & Resources

Dates

Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 14, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI NPS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 12, 2025
Metadata Updated Date November 14, 2025
Publisher National Park Service
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/nps-datastore-2252028
Data First Published 2014-09-01T00:00:00Z
Data Last Modified 2014-09-01T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:24
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/nps-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id 9d0a99e2-a0b4-4036-83dc-c6a0d44f94e3
Harvest Source Id d917c1a9-26b7-43ea-b8c5-c77ec750a850
Harvest Source Title DOI NPS DCAT-US
Homepage URL https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2252028
Metadata Type geospatial
Program Code 010:119, 010:118
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 362b2ad86f96cd81db2e73bdc0ed371b782abdaa6793a40768e49dd156a860d5
Source Schema Version 1.1

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