This polygon shapefile depicts existing vernal pool complexes, not individual vernal pools, in the nine county San Francisco Bay Area Region, California as identified and mapped by Dr. Robert F. Holland. The purpose of the inventory was to map the distribution of vernal pool complexes for use by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in recovery planning for listed and sensitive species. True color aerial slides from the Department of Water Resources were interpreted and vernal pool complexes were identified. Complexes more than 40 acres in size were then digitized as polygons and given a density rating. Since the minimum mapping unit of the coverage is 40 acres, it may not provide the level of detail required for larger scale (smaller area, more site-specific) conservation planning. This dataset was developed/compiled for use in the San Francisco Bay Area Upland Habitat Goals Project, a Project used to identify a Conservation Lands Network (CLN) for biodiversity preservation to inform conservation investments and lasting cooperative conservation partnerships. The Conservation Lands Network GIS Database is the primary output of the Project. The data depicts the spatially explicit CLN that is recommended for the nine county San Francisco Bay Area Region, California. This layer is presented in the WGS84 coordinate system for web display purposes. Downloadable data are provided in native coordinate system or projection.
Creator:
Bay Area Open Space Council, Conservation Lands Network, San Francisco Bay Area Upland Habitat Goals Project, GreenInfo Network (Firm), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Dr. Robert F. Holland