# Presentation: 016107

## Slide 1

**Notes:**
Trails.... 
There are a lot of trails in this country, and there’s a lot of information we could ask about any one of those trails including location, length, use, maintenance needs.... 

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## InteragencyTrail Data Standards

- USDA Forest Service **▪** Bureau of Land Management
- National Park Service **▪** US Fish and Wildlife Service

**Notes:**
But what do we really need to know? 
Over the last few years, an interagency team has been working in a collaborative effort to establish an Interagency Core set of Trail Data Standards 
to be shared by the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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## Getting It... Together

- Requested by Interagency Trails Council
- Establish a common set of data standards
- Applicable to all agency-managed trails

- Development of the “ITDS”

**Notes:**
Over the past several years, there has been an increasing emphasis within many federal agencies to improve basic data and data systems for increased accuracy, credibility, and accounatability.

The “ITDS” are a multi-agency to make the most of several concurrent agency data efforts  to get “it”, and to get “it” together:

At the request of the Interagency Trails Council, a national, interagency team of BLM, National Park Service, US Forest Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service trail administrators, program managers, data stewards, GIS specialists, and heritage resource specialists began working together...

To define and establish a core, or common set of trail data standards

To be applied to all agency-managed trails, including National Historic and National Scenic Trails

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## Data Dictionary or Database?

- Develop standardized GPS Data Dictionary?
- Develop standardized database?
- Develop a core set of common data standards?

- Interagency Task:

**Notes:**
Data Dictionary.... Database....

So what exactly was the task?

To develop a standardized GPS data dictionary ?

To develop a standardized database ?

 Or to develop a core set of data standards ?

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## Data Dictionary or Database?

- Develop standardized GPS Data Dictionary?
- Develop standardized database?
- Develop a core set of common data standards?

- Interagency Task:

**Notes:**
Actually, no....
...the task wasn’t to develop a GPS data dictionary

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## Data Dictionary or Database?

- Develop standardized GPS Data Dictionary?
- Develop standardized database?
- Develop a core set of common data standards?

- Interagency Task:

**Notes:**
...Or to develop a trails database,

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## Data Dictionary or Database?

- Develop standardized GPS Data Dictionary?
- Develop standardized database?
- Develop a core set of common data standards

- Interagency Task:

-                ....that can be incorporated into data dictionaries or databases

**Notes:**
But rather to come up with a standardized set of core data standards 
that could then be incorporated into existing or new data dictionaries or databases within each agency.

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## Trail... What’s a Trail?

*A linear route managed for human-powered, stock, or OHV forms of transportation or for historic or heritage values.*

- Interagency Trail Definition:

**Notes:**
The next essential step was to agree on the most basic definition:  What’s a Trail?
Together, based on the official agency definitions of a Trail, the three agencies developed an “umbrella” interagency definition.

(...read definition)

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## Factors to Consider

- Interagency core data set
- Data aren’t cheap!
- Standardized terminology
- Existing, standardized data attributes
- Implementation feasibility & timeframes

**Notes:**
Some of the basic premises that the team recognized and worked from included:

While there’s a lot of trail information that can be, and is being collected, the Interagency Standards would represent a minimum core set of data that agencies agree to for all agency-managed trails.

Data collection, data entry, and future and ongoing updates can take a lot of resources.... Each piece of data has an associated cost.

Strive to use standardized terminology between agencies to the extent possible and, when that’s not possible, provide crosswalk translation or the correlating terminology used within a particular agency.

In an identified Interagency Data Attribute already exists as a standard attribute within one agency, but is not yet standardized and/or used by the other agencies, consider adopting the existing attribute terminology and definition that’s already in use to maximize efficiencies and minimize confusion or data re-work.

Once established, the interagency Standards will be implemented and data provided based on current agency priorities and budgets.

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## ITDS Attribute Review Criteria

- Relate to a core interagency question?
- Of national, regional or statewide significance?
- Provide data needed to meet applicable laws, regulations and/or policies?
- Address key congressional, OMB and department-wide reporting requirements?
- Currently available or obtainable?

- Does (or is) the Attribute...

**Notes:**
The Team established Review Criteria as a filter to help determine which of the numerous possible pieces of trail information would really make sense and have “value add” at the interagency level:

These included asking if the Data Attribute....

Relates to a Core Interagency Question?

Is of national, regional or statewide significance?

Provides data needed to meet applicable laws, regulations or policies?

Addresses key congressional, OMB and department-wide reporting requirements?

And if the information is currently available or obtainable?

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## What Do We Want To Know?

- Interagency Trail Questions

- Basic Trail Information
- 	(trail name, length, location, etc.)

- Management Information
- 	(trail uses, accessibility status, condition, cost, etc.)

- Additional NST / NHT Questions
- 	(trail administrator, certified sites and segments, etc.)

**Notes:**
So what is it that we really want to know at the interagency level?

After considering a multitude of possibilities, the Interagency Team landed on 12 basic Interagency Questions
which can generally be categorized as:

Basic Trail Information  (including trail name, length, location, etc.)

Management Information  (including trail uses, accessibility status, condition, cost, etc.)

And 10 additional questions specific to National Scenic and/or National Historic Trails   
   (including Trail Administrator and, in the case of NHT’s, Certified Sites and Segments, etc.)

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## Answering the Questions

- Interagency Trail Data Standards

- Data Attribute
- Attribute Definition
- List of Values (LOVs)
- Data Parameters
- ITDS Application Protocols
- Crosswalk Translation (if needed)

**Notes:**
Next was to determine what information is needed to answer each Interagency Question.

And to do this, the Interagency Trail Data Standards began to take shape, including:

The name of the Data Attribute

The definition of the attribute to ensure that we were all talking apples to apples

A list of values or standardized codes for the attribute

Any “background” metadata (or data about the data...)

And finally, if needed, crosswalk translation between the interagency standard and any agancy-specific terminology

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## Is the Trail Accessible?Data Standard Example

**Data Attribute:**  Accessibility Status

**Attribute Definition:**  Accessibility guideline compliance status for the trail or trail segment.

**List of Values:****	**Accessible
- 	Not Accessible
- 	Not Evaluated

**Notes:**
Take, for example, the Interagency Question:  Is the Trail Accessible?

To answer this question, the Interagency Data Attribute is:  Accessibility Status

The Definition of that attribute is:  “Accessibility guideline compliance status for the trail or trail segment”

The List of Values or possible answers this are that the trail or trail segments is either: 
Accessible;
Not Accessible; or 
Not Evaluated.
(and then individual definitions were also developed for each of those values)

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## ITDS Attributes

| Attribute Name | Attribute Definition | Attribute Applies To * |  |  |  |  | List of Values (LOV)
Attribute Code | LOV Definition |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  |  | Reg. Trail | NST | NHT1 | NHT2 | NHT3 |  |  |
| Interagency Core Trail Data Attributes and Codes (LOVs) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| ACCESSIBILITY STATUS | Accessibility guideline compliance for the trail segments with a Designed Use of Hiker/Pedestrian. | X | X |  |  | X | ACCESSIBLE | Trail meets current agency accessibility guidelines. |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  | NOT ACCESSIBLE | Trail determined ineligible to meet current agency accessibility guidelines |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  | NOT EVALUATED | Trail not evaluated for accessibility. |

**Notes:**
A “standard” or definition was developed for each data attribute.  

For each data attribute, this included identifying:
Attribute Name
Attribute Definition
Which type of Trail the attribute responds to
A specific, standardized List of Values (“LOVs”) for each attribute
And definitions for each those values (if not readily apparent)

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## ITDS Codes

| Attribute Name | Attribute Definition | List of Values (LOV) | LOV Definition |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ACCESSIBILITY STATUS | Accessibility guideline compliance status for the trail | ACCESSIBLE | Trail meets current agency accessibility guidelines. |
|  |  | NOT ACCESSIBILE | Trail determined ineligible to meet  agency accessibility guidelines. |
|  |  | NOT EVALUATED | Trail not evaluated for Accessibility |
| ADMIN ORG | The administrative unit where the trail or trail segment physically resides | (insert unit codes for USFS, NPS, BLM, & FWS) |  |
|  |  | NA - NOT APPLICABLE |  |

- Standardized List of Values for each Attribute

**Notes:**
For each ITDS attribute, there is a:

Standardized Lists of Values or “codes”;

As well as LOV definitions (when applicable)

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## ITDS Data Parameters

- GIS Item Name
- GIS Alternate Name
- Data Definition (Type & Width)
- Attribute Null / Not Null
- Multiple Values Allowed?

- Defined for Each ITDS Attribute

**Notes:**
And a series of “data parameters” that complete the attribute definition or standard.

These include: 

Determining whether an attribute is applicable for tabular and/or spatial display;

Whether more than one code or value can be recorded for any one attribute in one place or on the same portion of trail;

The GIS name used to represent the ITDS attribute in spatial data sets;

GIS alternate names (if applicable);

The type and number of characters making up the attribute codes or LOVs (i.e. numeric or alpha? 4 characters or 20?);

Number of decimals (if applicable);

Whether the attribute has to be populated or not;

And whether the LOV code is individually unique or may be used on other trails or trail segments.

## ITDS Data Parameters

**Notes:**
And a series of “data parameters” that complete the attribute definition or standard.

These include: 

Determining whether an attribute is applicable for tabular and/or spatial display;

Whether more than one code or value can be recorded for any one attribute in one place or on the same portion of trail;

The GIS name used to represent the ITDS attribute in spatial data sets;

GIS alternate names (if applicable);

The type and number of characters making up the attribute codes or LOVs (i.e. numeric or alpha? 4 characters or 20?);

Number of decimals (if applicable);

Whether the attribute has to be populated or not;

And whether the LOV code is individually unique or may be used on other trails or trail segments.

## ITDS Attributes

- 34

- 3

- 13

**Notes:**
In all, the ITDS include:

33 data attributes that are applicable to all trails, including National Scenic and National Historic Trails;

3 additional attributes that are applicable only to National Scenic and National Historic Trails;

And 12 attributes that are applicable only to National Historic Trails

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## Interagency BenefitsAdditional Benefits of Working Together

- Interagency Trail Tools

- Trail Class

- NHT Corridor Concept

- Managed Use

- NHT Condition Categories

- Designed Use

**Notes:**
In addition establishing standardized terminology and data standards, there have been many additional benefits from this collaborative effort.  This includes the identification of potential trail management tools and concepts that are being considered and recommended for interagency adoption, including:

Trail Class:  A standardized system of communicating trail development scale (details explained in Appendix A);

Designed Use & Managed Use: Concepts that help communicate trail design and management standards (details explained in Appendix B);

NHT Corridor Concept: A communication concept that helps clearly explain the major components of a National Historic Trail (details explained in “Overview and Reference” document);

NHT Condition Categories:  Standardized categories for describing the physical condition of historic routes (details explained in Appendix C)

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## Currently Underway

- Federal Trail Data Standards  Publication of the ITDS by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FY07-FY08)

- Interagency Trail and GIS representatives currently collaborating on:

**Notes:**
There are currently two ITDS sub-teams working on the next step in developing and testing the ITDS:

## Upcoming Tasks?

- National Scenic Trail Attributes
- 	Identify additionally needed NST attributes

- ITDS Implementation Strategy/Schedule
- 	For USFS, BLM, NPS, and FWS

- Apply ITDS to Long-Distance Trails Provide implementation guidance, suggestions and examples for NST’s and NHT’s

- Additional Trail Information Attributes
- 	Potential expansion of ITDS to include additional trail use & visitor Information

## Where to Find It? http://home.nps.gov/gis/trails/

**Notes:**
The Interagency Trail Data Standards review materials can be found on the web:
	www.nps.gov/gis/trails/index.html

We recommend that you print out all the posted documents, and then review them in sequential order, beginning with the Introduction and Overview. 

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## ITDS

- USDA Forest Service **▪** Bureau of Land Management
- National Park Service **▪** US Fish and Wildlife Service

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Frequently Asked Questions**

**BLM:   **Adapting the standards into FAMS
**NPS:   **Adapting the standards into FMSS
**FWS:   **Adapting the standards into SAMMS
**USFS: **Majority of standards incorporated in Infra Trails. Remaining standards planned for Infra Trails or Infra Heritage (for specific NHT attributes)

**How are agencies incorporating the Interagency Trail Data Standards?**

**Notes:**
During the internal review, several recurring questions surfaced.  
We’ll answer a few of the more prevalent questions here.

How will agencies incorporate the Interagency Trail Data Standards?

BLM:  The Interagency Standards are being incorporated into FAMS (BLM’s facilities database)
NPS:  The Interagency Standards are being incorporated into MAXIMO (NPS’s facilities database)
USFS:  The majority of the Interagency Standards have been incorporated into Infra Trails (USFS’ trails database); and remaining ones are slated for inclusion in Infra Trails or infra Heritage (for certain NHT data attributes)

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## Frequently Asked Questions

**Frequently Asked Questions**

- “Trail segment” is used informally to identify the specific portion of trail to which a data attribute refers– or to answer the question being asked...

**What’s “trail segment” mean?**

**Notes:**
During the internal review, several recurring questions surfaced.  
We’ll answer a few of the more prevalent questions here.

How will agencies incorporate the Interagency Trail Data Standards?

BLM:  The Interagency Standards are being incorporated into FAMS (BLM’s facilities database)
NPS:  The Interagency Standards are being incorporated into MAXIMO (NPS’s facilities database)
USFS:  The majority of the Interagency Standards have been incorporated into Infra Trails (USFS’ trails database); and remaining ones are slated for inclusion in Infra Trails or infra Heritage (for certain NHT data attributes)

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## Frequently Asked Questions

**Frequently Asked Questions**

- Trail Segment Examples:

- _Trail Length_:	24.3 miles (segment 0.0 - 24.3)

- _Trail Class_:  	13.2 miles Trail Class 3; 11.1 miles Trail Class 2
- 	(segment 0.0 – 13.2 and 13.2 – 24.3)

- _County_:  	5.6 miles County A; 18.7 miles County B
- 	(segment 0.0 – 5.6 and 5.6 – 24.3)

**Notes:**
During the internal review, several recurring questions surfaced.  
We’ll answer a few of the more prevalent questions here.

How will agencies incorporate the Interagency Trail Data Standards?

BLM:  The Interagency Standards are being incorporated into FAMS (BLM’s facilities database)
NPS:  The Interagency Standards are being incorporated into MAXIMO (NPS’s facilities database)
USFS:  The majority of the Interagency Standards have been incorporated into Infra Trails (USFS’ trails database); and remaining ones are slated for inclusion in Infra Trails or infra Heritage (for certain NHT data attributes)

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## Frequently Asked Questions

**Frequently Asked Questions**

**What’s “No Overlap Allowed” Mean?**

**No Overlap Allowed:  **Only one attribute value can be recorded at any given location along the trail or trail segment.

- _Example:  County_
-    Mile 0.00 **–** 17.4:  Park County	Mile 17.4 – 28.3: Grove County

**Notes:**
What’s “no overlap allowed” mean”

No Overlap Allowed:  Only one attribute value or code can be recorded at any given location along the trail ro trail segment

(review example)

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## Frequently Asked Questions

**Frequently Asked Questions**

**What’s “No Overlap Allowed” Mean?**

**No Overlap Allowed:  **Only one attribute value can be recorded at any given location along the trail or trail segment.

- _Example:  County_
-    Mile 0.00 **–** 17.4:  Park County	Mile 17.4 – 28.3: Grove County

**Overlap Allowed:  **More than one attribute value can be recorded, if applicable, at any given location along the trail or trail segment.

- _Example:  Prohibited Use_
- 	Mile 0.00 – 28.3:   ATVs, Motorcycles, Bicycles

**Notes:**
Overlap Allowed:  More than one attribute value or code can be recorded, if applicable, at any given location along the trail or trail segment.

(review example)

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## Frequently Asked Questions

**Frequently Asked Questions**

**What about “things along the trail”?**

- “Things along the trail” include trail structures, amenities, viewpoints, etc.
- While potentially valuable data at the trail or agency-specific level, this level of detail was determined to be beyond the scope of the _interagency_* *standards.

**Notes:**
What about “thins along the trail?”
“Things along the trail” include items like trail structures (i.e., bridges, signs, turnpike, etc.), amenities (benches, restrooms, etc.), viewpoints, Watchable Wildlife locations, etc.

While this data can be very useful at the trail-specific or agency-specific level, it was determined to be too detailed and beyond the scope of the interagency standards.  

(For an expanded explanation, refer to Interagency Core Questions, Review Criteria, and Appendix D: Core Questions and Attributes Considered, but Dropped)

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## Frequently Asked Questions

**Frequently Asked Questions**

**For additional questions, answers and clarification:**

- Appendix G:  Interagency Internal Review
- Appendix H:  Frequently Asked Questions
- Posted at _www.nps.gov/gis/trails/index.html_

**Notes:**
For additional questions, answers, discussion and clarification, refer to:
The Interagency Core Questions
Trail Data Standards
List of Values
Appendix G: Interagency Internal Review
Appendix H:  Frequently Asked Questions

Posted on the Interagency Trail Data Standards web page.

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## Bottom-Line Benefits

- Interagency Trail Data Standards

- Improved communication and efficiency
- For our internal and external customers
- Through proactive interagency trails coordination and collaboration

**Notes:**
The “bottom line” benefits of this on-going effort are many, including....

Improved communication and efficiency ....

For our internal and external customers ....

Through proactive interagency trails coordination and collaboration....

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## ITDS

- USDA Forest Service **▪** Bureau of Land Management
- National Park Service **▪** US Fish and Wildlife Service