Highlights for September 25, 1998
USGS Center for Biological Informatics

I. Key Department News:

• Vegetation Mapping Program Provides International Cooperation: The USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program has begun preliminary vegetation classification and field work in Glacier National Park, which along with Waterton National Park in Canada is part of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. During the week of September 14-18, staff from the USGS, NPS, and The Nature Conservancy met with Waterton Park resource managers to discuss cooperative work in this area. As a result, Waterton National Park plans to characterize and map its vegetation communities according to the protocols and standards of the Vegetation Mapping Program. The Vegetation Mapping Program will provide scientific and technical cooperation and advice to aid Waterton in completing its vegetation work. Glacier National Park will directly benefit from this map expansion, which will provide additional scientific information and data that can be used to manage critical natural resources such as whitebark pine, wolves, and grizzly bears. Waterton will benefit from the provision of state-of-the-art vegetation characterization and mapping protocols, data, and information for their park. The entire project is expected to take four years. The USGS Center for Biological Informatics administers and directs the scientific activities of the USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program. (Tom Owens, Denver, 303-202-4259)
  

II. Agency Works on Presidential Initiatives: No report.

III. Notable Congressional Activity: No report.

IV. Press/Media Inquiries:

• GIS Applications for Gypsy Moth Monitoring: On September 22, Karl Brown of the USGS Center for Biological Informatics responded to a query regarding the possible use of geographic information systems technology in gypsy moth damage monitoring. Brown addressed the suitability of using satellite data for evaluation of forest species, defoliation areas, and proportions. The user wanted to determine gypsy moth activity in oaks and the suitability of satellite data to determine control activity. (Karl Brown, Denver, 303-202-4240)
  

V. FOIA Requests: No report.