Draft Lifeform Map: We are excited to announce that a draft lifeform map is complete and available for download. It will serve as the foundation for the more detailed vegetation and habitat map to come. This 18-class map was developed using a combination of automated, software-based processes and the input of GIS and vegetation analysts. Follow this link to learn more about the lifeform mapping methods.

The draft lifeform map (see interactive webmap below) will be refined in 2016 based on the field work and additional manual editing associated with producing the full 62-class fine-scale vegetation and habitat map due out in late 2016. Until then, the lifeform map can serve as an excellent reference map with high accuracy (read the accuracy assessment at the end of the product datasheet). Please reference this as a draft data product in your maps, analysis, and derivative products.

Sonoma County Draft Lifeform Map
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Final Croplands: The Sonoma County Croplands map, which we released as a draft product in the spring, has been updated and finalized. The croplands data provides a countywide fine-scale polygon map of perennial croplands, annual croplands, nurseries, orchards/groves, vineyards, and other crops. The croplands were mapped by image analysts using aerial photographs as ground reference and - as for the lifeform dataset above - this layer represents the state of the landscape in 2013.

The croplands data combines many years of quality mapping work by many hands - including Circuit Rider Productions, Dr. Adina Merenlender's Lab (UC Berkeley), the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, and the Sonoma County Water Agency - into one seamless dataset. During the past year, the Sonoma Veg Map mapping team has further improved and standardized the data, adding hundreds of new polygons and refining the majority of existing ones.

The lifeform and croplands are available as services from ArcGIS.com and as GIS data downloads (shapefiles and geodatabases). To download the data, go to the data downloads page on our web site. Also, download the product datasheets for the croplands and lifeform datasets. For an immediate look at the lifeform map, check out this webmap.