Datasets > Minnesota > 2015-2019

Potentially Undisturbed Land (Virgin Sod) - FSA Common Land Unit Derived [Minnesota]

DNR Section of Wildlife - Working Lands Initiative · 2015 Full Details

Full Details

Title
Potentially Undisturbed Land (Virgin Sod) - FSA Common Land Unit Derived [Minnesota]
Description
Project Description: South Dakota State University has developed a rigorous system for identifying undisturbed land (virgin sod) by utilizing Farm Services Agency (FSA) Common Land Unit (CLU) data to determine the extent of known tillage history. Through a process of deductive assessment that incorporates USDA/NAIP aerial imagery (instead of the more common NASS satellite imagery) the project identifies and removes all tillage and physical land disturbance history to accurately identify the location of lands with the highest probability of being truly native (virgin) sod. This deductive approach is unlike any grassland modeling project ever conducted. Conservation organizations across the region are excited about the results and using the data as a key foundational 'cornerstone' tool for refining and creating protocols for targeted grassland conservation programs, species-specific research, and long-term conservation planning. Project Location Description: Currently this assessment has been done for eastern South Dakota and the Prairie Coteau and Lac Qui Parle landscapes in western and southwestern Minnesota, with the intent of creating a template for all of the Great Plains. The work in Minnesota was commissioned by the Local Technical Teams implementing the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan. Funding was provided by the DNR Section of Wildlife's Working Lands Initiative. Data from the assessment of Eastern South Dakota can be found here: http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/data_land-easternSD/1/, The Potentially Undisturbed Lands layer contains polygons representing undisturbed land mapped at a scale of 1:8000 or greater over the entire Prairie Coteau and Lac qui Parle landscapes in Southwestern Minnesota. Each polygon is classified as either undisturbed grassland or undisturbed woodland according to a rigorous, repeatable, systematic protocol. The Protected Undisturbed Lands layer contains polygon features representing undisturbed lands that have a permanent protection status. It is a subset of the Potentially Undisturbed Lands layer (mn_pudl), and is created by intersecting the undisturbed lands layer with an aggregate layer of lands that are known to be permanently protected. Permanently protected lands include an aggregate of fee title and easement holdings by a variety of state, federal, and private non-profit agencies and organizations.
Creator
DNR Section of Wildlife - Working Lands Initiative
Temporal Coverage
2015-09-11
Access Rights
Public
Format
Files
Language
English
Date Added
April 26, 2021

Resource Class

Theme

Place

Provider

Location

Download

Links

Cite and Reference

  • Citation
    DNR Section of Wildlife - Working Lands Initiative (n.d.). Potentially Undisturbed Land (Virgin Sod) - FSA Common Land Unit Derived [Minnesota]. . https://gisdata.mn.gov/dataset/5848b47f-7511-4706-86d0-8f6e3a0d897d (dataset)
  • BTAA Geoportal Link

View more items like this one...

Prairie Change Analysis 1991-2008 [Minnesota]

MNDNR Native Prairies [Minnesota]

2025

Minnesota Perennial Cropland and Ecological Analysis [Minnesota]

2013

Central Region Regionally Ecological Significant Areas [Minnesota]

Central Region Green Infrastructure [Minnesota]

Regionally Significant Ecological Areas and Regional Ecological Corridors - MLCCS deriv...

Scientific and Natural Area Units [Minnesota]

2025

Ecological Land Type Associations [Minnesota]

DNR Dimension Stone Inventory of Northern Minnesota [Minnesota]

State Funded Conservation Easements (RIM Reserve) [Minnesota]

2024