Vegetation Classification

The National Vegetation Classification System (NVCS) was adopted by the DOD and numerous other Federal agencies to insure consistent data collection across the nation. The Corps SAT has set standards to the sub-class level. Although these are only broad level classifications, they will assist the Corps in determining the composition of vegetation across approximately 12 million acres. The NVCS is also going through revisions and a new standard will be issued. Because of the progress completed to date and the available forms in OMBIL, the Corps will continue to classify using the 1997 standard. A cross-walk to the new standard can be completed as necessary.

To learn more about the NVCS please check out the following links:

• NVCS standard – This link takes you to the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) web page for the full NVCS standard. The document representing the standard is quite long, but the initial pages describe the importance of using the standard on a nation-wide effort.
  PDF of the actual standard.

  Information of the use of the NVCS by U.S.G.S. and N.P.S. Spreadsheet of NVCS structures. This excel document provides the structure of the NVCS to subclass and presents the full definitions. If you want to see the full structure of the NVCS to understand the division, order, class and sub-class, please refer to this document.

  USGS-NPS NVCS Web Page

  Vegetation Inventory for OMBIL