national park service - land resources division (lrd) enterprise management of lands tract,...

National Park Service - Land Resources Division (LRD)

Enterprise Management

of

Lands Tract, Boundary, & Ownership Data

Roger Johnson

[email protected]


NPS Mission Support

The Land Resource Division (LRD) is responsible for the exchange and acquisition of lands for the National Park Service. As a result of this activity LRD is the official repository of all NPS land record data and continually maintains dynamic land ownership, parcel, and boundary datasets.

Directors Order 19 - “The Land Resources National Program Center is the office of record for the acreage, interest and ownership for NPS land acquisitions. All land acquisition records and related records should be managed according to procedures established in Director's Order 25: Land Protection, and its accompanying reference material.”

Director’s Order 25 – “Land status maps will be prepared to identify the ownership of the lands within the authorized boundaries of the park unit. These maps, showing ownership and acreage, are the "official record" of the acreage of Federal and non-federal lands within the park boundaries. While these maps are the official record of the lands and acreage within the unit’s authorized boundaries, they are not of survey quality and not intended to be used for survey purposes. ”


LandsNet Intranet - http://landsnet.nps.gov

Guidelines

General Resources

Data Downloads

Acreage Reports

MS Access Table – entire NPS

DBF Tables – individual park units

Archive includes acreage reports from

1934 to present

For assistance, contact multiple NPS WASO-Lands

employees via e-mail to [email protected]

Document Archives

ANTI

Legislation

Legal Descriptions

Segment Maps

Change Orders

Deeds


TractsNet Intranet - http://landsnet.nps.gov/tractsnet

Metadata

Miscellaneous Maps

Please note: TractsNet is a tool for online data visualization and discovery only. It may contain preliminary information. Final approved GIS boundary data is only available via download from NPS Data Store or by contacting a LRD cartographer.


Land Ownership Databases

Intermountain

Alaska

Midwest National Capital National Trails

Northeast

Pacific West Oakland Pacific West Seattle

SoutheastNaples

Ownership Databases

http://LANDSNET.NPS.GOV


Land Ownership Databases

• Management Information System (MIS) is the database used to track the acquisition process of land in the National Park Service

• Master Deed Listing (MDL) houses deed information once the acquisition process is complete.

• The MDL is available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); whereas the MIS is protected under the Privacy Act.

• LRD’s acreage figures come from acreage listed in Deeds.

• Acreage figures reported by LRD are supported by several legal documents.

• Using a modern method of calculating acreage does not invalidate methods employed in the past that provided the acreage figures in the current recorded legal documentation.

• Acreage calculated using a manual “Least Squares” method may seem as wrong to today’s GIS professional as not using elevation to calculate acreage will seem

to future users but it does not invalidate the figure or change the fact that an approved method was used to create the Deed that is currently what will be used to describe the property in a court of law.


Land Ownership Databases• MDL data is updated daily & posted on LandsNet in both dBase & Access formats

• Numerous reports are available from the MDL database.

- Contact [email protected] or [email protected] for additional details

• “Listing of Acreage Reports” dating back to 1934 are available on LandsNet- Fee The maximum possible estate one can possess in real property. It is of indefinite duration, freely transferable and inheritable.

Optioned, Estate = FEE, Status = FED- Less Than Fee Any estate that is less than full Fee ownership (i.e. Scenic Easement, ROW…)

Optioned, Status = FED, Estate = SCENIC, EASEM, ROW Not Optioned, Status = OTFED, Estate = SCENIC, EASEM, ROW- Other Federal Tracts under the administration of another Federal agency (i.e. Forest Service,

Coast Guard…)Not Optioned, Estate = FEE, Status = OTFED

- Public A non-Federal tract that is owned by the State, County and/or other municipalities, including quasi-public entities such as the South Florida Water Management.

Not Optioned, Status = PUB, No Deed #, Estate = FEE, SCENIC, EASEM, ROW, AGREEMENT or LEASE- Private A privately owned tract before it is acquired by the Federal government. (i.e. Individuals, corporations, companies, trustees, partnerships)

Not Optioned, Status = PRIV, No Deed #, Estate = FEE, SCENIC, EASEM, ROW, AGREEMENT or LEASE- No lands outside a units legislated boundary are counted- Tracts with a Method of Acquisition of DISP/EXCH or DISP/OTHR calculate acreage as a negative value

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Digital Data Conversion

Goal: To create and maintain a single digital file for each of the National Parks Services 391 units. This file will contain topologically clean tract, boundary, and ancillary

information represented in a single geographically contiguous model. All digital elements will be fully attributed allowing for them to be easily identified, manipulated, exported, and queried against other geospatial information. Separate layouts will also be created in the single digital file for each individual segment map using the single model that covers the entire unit.

Benefits: This will allow Lands to quickly update and maintain multiple segment maps by editing a single geographically accurate model in a fully digital environment.

Geographically positioned digital data allows Lands to easily take advantage of numerous data sources regardless of projection or format of the information.

Lands data can be easily exported to support government-wide initiatives like NILS. Timely access to tract and boundary data with “spatial intelligence” supports better and faster decision making within NPS. This project also makes more accurate and usable information available to the general public.

Digital data allows Lands to quickly export our data into numerous different production platforms providing for greater speed and flexibility when comparing Lands data to other information and producing special purpose map products.


Digital Data ConversionDigital Data Conversion Steps

1. Digitization

• Land Acquisition Procedures Manual – Chapter 5

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

• Digitization of Land Segment Maps and Georeferencing of the entire data set (scale & rotate only, no rubbersheeting)

• COGO legal descriptions and “best fit” the separate parcels to create a topology

• Once in-house or contract digitization is complete, topology and GIS validation tests are run on the data. If it passes it’s posted on TractsNet so it can be visualized and queried against LRD’s ownership databases & shared among NPS employees in different offices across the country.

2. QA/QC – Data Validation

• Time consuming process of verifying the accuracy and attribution of all model and layout elements.

• Tract and boundary data are checked against supporting documentation. (legislation, legal descriptions, deeds, survey plats, hardcopy segment maps, change orders, etc…)

• Once the regional office approves the data it is posted on the NPS Data Store for download.

3. Continual Maintenance

HOFR & ELRO


Data Distribution

• 229 NPS units have been through LRD’s digital data conversion.

• 189 of those units have completed LRD’s QA/QC process.

• “Current Administrative Boundaries”

- NPS Data Store - http://science.nature.nps.gov/nrdata/

- Harvested by Geospatial-One-Stop (GOS)

- LRD units that have completed QA/QC are used to update the file.

- LRD updated units are tagged with “Lands” in the GIS_Notes field of the DBF.

- Boundaries from the 2001 GIS Collection Effort & the Horizon Project still exist.

• Metadata

- All LRD updated units are listed in the “Current Administrative Boundaries” metadata file.

- More detailed individual park level metadata records that point to the “Current Administrative Boundaries” file are also uploaded to the NPS Data Store.

- Links to the park metadata records are also in the GIS_Notes field of the DBF.

http://science.nature.nps.gov/nrdata/


Data Priorities & Statistics

Conversion Priorities 2008

Currently need QA/QC

Online Data Statistics

Online Documents = 105,000

Deeds = 87,498

Segment Maps = 3,986

Legal Descriptions = 4,083

Change Orders = 4,982

Legislation = 1,319


Policies & Procedures

1.1. The The “Land Acquisition Procedures”“Land Acquisition Procedures” Manual (LAPS) Chapter 4 Manual (LAPS) Chapter 4 defines the policies and procedures of building, maintaining, and defines the policies and procedures of building, maintaining, and distributing distributing the LRD’s ownership databases.the LRD’s ownership databases.

2.2. LAPS Chapter 5 defines Land Status Mapping Standards. LRD also LAPS Chapter 5 defines Land Status Mapping Standards. LRD also has created a Digital Map Conversion SOP that outlines the technical has created a Digital Map Conversion SOP that outlines the technical processes used in the creation of cartographic & geospatial products.processes used in the creation of cartographic & geospatial products.

3.3. Legislative Map Guidelines and Template developed in conjunction Legislative Map Guidelines and Template developed in conjunction with the Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairswith the Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs

4.4. Questions about boundaries, acreage, or other LRD data sets should Questions about boundaries, acreage, or other LRD data sets should be directed to LRD’s regional cartographers or our WASO offices in be directed to LRD’s regional cartographers or our WASO offices in Washington DC or Fort Collins.Washington DC or Fort Collins.

5.5. Boundaries in the “Current Administrative Boundary” file that were not Boundaries in the “Current Administrative Boundary” file that were not created by LRD and are not scheduled to go through the Digital Data created by LRD and are not scheduled to go through the Digital Data Conversion process in the near future can be temporarily updated at Conversion process in the near future can be temporarily updated at the the request of appropriate NPS personnel.request of appropriate NPS personnel.

- Submit your request to LRD’s WASO-Fort Collins office- Submit your request to LRD’s WASO-Fort Collins office- Provide metadata and a point of contact for the dataset- Provide metadata and a point of contact for the dataset- Temporary boundaries will be replace when LRD completes the units - Temporary boundaries will be replace when LRD completes the units digital data conversion. digital data conversion.


Segment Maps - Model Space


Segment Map Layouts


Sources - Hardcopy Segment Maps


Sources – Legislation, Deeds, & Legal Descriptions


Sources – NPS GIS, Surveys, Imagery


Sources – NPS Data Store, Federal, State, & Local Government


Continual Maintenance

Ownership Databases


What’s on the Horizon

1.1. Complete the digital data conversion for all 391 NPS unitsComplete the digital data conversion for all 391 NPS units

2.2. Migrate LRD’s ownership databases to SQL ServerMigrate LRD’s ownership databases to SQL Server

3.3. Serve LRD’s tract and boundary polygons up as a foundation Serve LRD’s tract and boundary polygons up as a foundation layer in an enterprise-level GIS mapping application.layer in an enterprise-level GIS mapping application.

-- Continue active membership in the Geographic Information Systems Continue active membership in the Geographic Information Systems Committee (GISC) and the Enterprise Geographic Information Systems Committee (GISC) and the Enterprise Geographic Information Systems Subcommittee Subcommittee (EGIS) (EGIS)

-- Work with key GIS staff members of the Office Chief Information Officer Work with key GIS staff members of the Office Chief Information Officer (OCIS) on pilot web mapping and enterprise data layer projects(OCIS) on pilot web mapping and enterprise data layer projects

4.4. Define and implement a system and associated geodatabase to Define and implement a system and associated geodatabase to create, manage, and maintain spatially accurate cadastral create, manage, and maintain spatially accurate cadastral geometry geometry that can support the GIS community while maintaining that can support the GIS community while maintaining original survey original survey accuracy.accuracy.


Survey to Topology Issues

Typical errors when creating a topology from COGO or digitized data.


Future Initiatives

Goals:Goals: Define and implement a system and associated geodatabase to create, manage, Define and implement a system and associated geodatabase to create, manage, and maintain spatially accurate cadastral geometry that can support the GIS and maintain spatially accurate cadastral geometry that can support the GIS community community

while maintaining original survey accuracy. while maintaining original survey accuracy.

Requirements:Requirements: - The system must be extendable- The system must be extendable - Must be able to follow approved survey methods- Must be able to follow approved survey methods - Must improve LRD datasets by allowing new parcels to be joined and tools for - Must improve LRD datasets by allowing new parcels to be joined and tools for editing existing parcels editing existing parcels

- Must maintain spatial relationships between the Cadastre and associated features- Must maintain spatial relationships between the Cadastre and associated features- Should have an explicit topology, defined by common parcel corners- Should have an explicit topology, defined by common parcel corners- Topology should be inherent in the data model in order to automate application of - Topology should be inherent in the data model in order to automate application of

topologic rules topologic rules- Should be able to adopt and refine control points external to survey - Should be able to adopt and refine control points external to survey

measurementsmeasurements- Should allow for ranking of measurements & control points so the entire data set - Should allow for ranking of measurements & control points so the entire data set can be modified by a process like least squares adjustment where data adjusts can be modified by a process like least squares adjustment where data adjusts

to higher quality to higher quality data, displacement vectors should be recorded and accessible data, displacement vectors should be recorded and accessible - Must maintain and use the original survey measurements even if output geometry - Must maintain and use the original survey measurements even if output geometry has been modified through the creation of topologically clean GIS data has been modified through the creation of topologically clean GIS data- Should maintain and be able to access historic and or retired parcel data- Should maintain and be able to access historic and or retired parcel data

Options:Options: - Cadastral Fabric, ArcGIS 9.x Survey Analyst functionality new in Service Pack 3- Cadastral Fabric, ArcGIS 9.x Survey Analyst functionality new in Service Pack 3- Autodesk Civil 3D 2008- Autodesk Civil 3D 2008


Future Initiatives

Differentiate Source information from Derived informationDifferentiate Source information from Derived informationDifferentiate Survey Rules information from GIS RulesDifferentiate Survey Rules information from GIS Rules

Plans

Parcels

Points Lines

Line Points0-M

1-1

1

2-1 1-M

1

1-M

Control

0-1

1

1-M

GIS RulesSurvey Rules

Measurements Coordinates ESRI Shapes

Edited by Fabric Tools GIS Operations

From Survey(held by Lines)

Calculated(held by Points)

Generated from Points

Central Design Concept Diagram


Future Initiatives

Parcels are represented by :Parcels are represented by :parcel lineparcel line features, features, parcel pointparcel point features, and features, and parcel polygonparcel polygon features, features,

Survey Database feature classParcels

Data typeField nameAllow nulls

OBJECTID Object ID SHAPE Geometry YesJoined Short integer No

ParcelName String NoPlanID Long integer No

ParcelType Short integer NoStatedArea Double YesCompiled Short integer No

TrueMidBrg Short integer NoHistorical Short integer No

SytemStartDate Date NoSystemEndDate Date NoLegalStartDate Date YesLegalEndDate Date Yes

SHAPE_Length Double YesSHAPE_Area Double Yes

CentroidX Double YesCentroidY Double Yes

AccuracyID Long integer No

Survey Database feature classLines



ParcelID Long integer NoSequence Long integer YesFromPoint Long integer No

ToPoint Long integer NoBearing Double YesDistance Double YesLineType Short integer NoRadius Double Yes

ArcDistance Double YesDelta Double Yes

CenterPoint Long integer YesHistorical Short integer No

SHAPE_Length Double YesRadialBearing Double Yes

TangentBearing Double YesEntryParameters Short integer No

AccuracyID Long integer Yes

Survey Database feature classPoints



PointCode String YesPointName String YesHistorical Short integer NoRemarks String Yes

Contourable Short integer NoSystemStartDate Date YesSystemEndDate Date YesLegalStartDate Date YesLegalEndDate Date Yes


Future Initiatives

national park service - land resources division (lrd) enterprise management of lands tract,...

Documents

land protection

dynamic land ownership

acquisition process

land acquisition records

park boundaries

nps land record data

nps land acquisitions

acreage of federal