Overview – Landscape Characterization
The first step in the CAPS approach is the characterization of both the developed and undeveloped elements of the landscape. GIS data from a variety of sources were combined to create a base map depicting natural communities, developed land types, and roads.
Developed land uses are grouped into categories such as various classes of roads and highways, commercial, industrial, residential, cropland, and other elements of the human dominated landscape. Undeveloped (“natural”) land is mapped based on an ecological community classification scheme (e.g., forest, grassland, coastal dune, shrub swamp, salt marsh, pond).
All data are mapped in 30 m grids. The final land cover layer depicts natural communities, development and roads.
Natural Community Classification used in 2020 CAPS
Upland
- Forest
- Shrubland
- Pasture
- Grassland
Freshwater wetland and aquatic
- Forested wetland
- Shrub swamp
- Marsh
- Vernal pool
- Pond
- Lake
- Stream (1st order) low gradient
- Stream (1st order) high gradient
- Stream (2nd order) low gradient
- Stream (2nd order) high gradient
- Stream (3rd order) low gradient
- Stream (3rd order) high gradient
- Stream (4th order) low gradient
- Stream (4th order) high gradient
- Stream (5th order) low gradient
- Stream (5th order) high gradient
Coastal wetland
- Salt marsh
- Beach or mudflat
- Estuarine forested wetland
- Estuarine shrub swamp
- Salt pond or bay
- Estuary (1st order)
- Estuary (2nd order)
- Estuary (3rd order)
- Estuary (4th order)
- Estuary (5th order)
- Ocean
Coastal Upland
- Coastal dune
CAPS Input Data Layers describes the GIS data used by CAPS.
CAPS Ecological Community Descriptions provides description of ecological communities.
CAPS Land Cover Classification provides a list of developed and undeveloped land cover classes used in CAPS.
