Environmental History: Researching the Environment:
New York (State). Division of Fish and Wildlife. Freshwater wetlands inventory maps
The print version of the finding aid was compiled by Jackson McPeters, New York State Archives.
© 2005
Overview
Arrangement
Historical Note
Content Description
Administrative Information
Use of the Series
Related Information
Access Terms
Overview of the Collection
| Repository: | New York State Archives |
| Sponsor: | Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. |
| Series Number: | A0743 |
| Creator: | New York (State). Division of Fish and Wildlife. |
| Title: | Freshwater wetlands inventory maps |
| Dates: | 1973-1975 |
| Physical Description: | ca. 40 cu. ft. (971 maps) |
| Summary: | The series consists of overlay maps that are products of a wetlands inventory project conducted by the Division of Fish and Wildlife of the Department of Environmental Conservation. Themaps provide data on the location, size, and plant composition of the wetlands and coincide with U.S. Geographical Survey quadrangles done to a scale of 1:24,000. |
Arrangement
Alphabetical by county and then alphabetically by location within the county, and coincide with U.S. Geographical Survey quadrangles done to a scale of 1:24,000.
Overview
The series consists of overlay maps that are products of a wetlands inventory project conducted by the Division Fish and Wildlife of the Department of Environmental Conservation. The maps provide data on the location, size, and plant composition of the wetlands. Vegetation are precise indicators of wetlands and most accurately reflect wetlands habitat and conditions. The maps also identify: fourteen different "covertypes" of wetlands based on plant classification, represented on the maps by number; three covertypes of wetlands based on size, represented on the maps as linear, fringe, and/or mixed; bogs and mats; drainage links (two or more wetlands less than 200 feet apart in which the combined area equals 6.2 acres or more are considered one wetland and referred to as "linked" channels, represented as a dashed line and "ch"; summer vegetation for counties where satisfactory summ photography was available, represented by an "X" following the spring covertype and described by the covertypes following it; "Gazetteer lakes" (an open body of water that is 2.5 hectares or larger) assigned a number from a 1970 published U.S.G.S. Bulletin; and grid coordinates, based on the New York Transverse Mercator grid construction used in map construction.Each overlay sheet has two preprinted blocks. The first is an identification block with information on map preparation and sources of support for the project. The second is a title block in the lower right corner which includes varying amounts of inked-in information on zone number, quadrangle name, corresponding Land Use and Natural Resources Inventory map number, base map information (usually "USGS topo"), information on the photography used (date and source) for each county, and a "status" section labeled "initial", "check", "DTO", and "draft" that is filed in with initials and dates. Each map also carrie a printed disclaimer that the overlay is not an official Department of Environmental Conservation regulatory map und the Freshwater Wetlands Law.
The maps are arranged by county and then alphabetically by location within the county, and coincide with U.S. Geographical Survey quadrangles done to a scale of 1:24,000. They are executed in India ink on plastic sheets, and designed to be positioned over a base map by placing the neat line corner marks over the outside borders of the bas map. The bulk of the maps measure 72 x 53 cm. Information on alignment procedures and the codes and numbers used on the overlays is available from the user guide, prepared by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, that accompanie the series.
Historical Sketch
The series consists of overlay maps that are products of a wetlands
inventory project conducted b the Division of Fish and Wildlife of
the Department of Environmental Conservation. The maps were apparently
created as a result of the division's desire to compile a comprehensive
statewide surv designed to seek out, identify, and collect data on
the wetlands of the state. Wetlands are lands which may be permanently,
temporarily, or intermittently covered by fresh or saltwater. They
are commonly referred to as flood basins or flats, meadows, marshes,
shrub swamps, wooded swamps, or bogs. Previous to this project, several
local or regional surveys of wetlands had been conducted, but the
tota area of wetlands in New York, and in what ways and at what rate
they might be changing or disappearing, was unknown. The inventory
was apparently begun in 1973 and completed in 1975.
The Division of Fish and Wildlife carried out mandated responsibilities
for efficient management o the fish and wildlife resources of the
state. Its programs for environmental protection were designed to
protect critical elements of essential habitats and to preserve unique
environments. Monitoring fish and wildlife populations and habitats
provides a measure of the stresses affecting environmental quality
an species productivity. A complete wetlands inventory was one part
of an environmental inventory and monitoring sub-program that would
in turn aid other wetlands development and maintenance programs The
Environmental Bond Act of 1972 established funds to be spent in land
acquisition. Implementation of this act was written as Article VI
of Chapter 659 of the Laws of 1972, which authorized millions of dollars
for freshwater wetlands acquisition and restoration.
The survey coincided with public recognition of the importance of
freshwater wetlands in areas oth than the traditional recreational
pursuits, specifically the contributions to flood water buffering,
recharging ground water supplies, nutrient cycling and pollution treatment,
and insuring open space, aesthetic values, and areas for educational
and scientific research. The beaver had also been recently designated
as the official state mammal, and a wildlife management objective
was to maintain the species population levels in relation to human
population density and land use. An annual aerial beave survey covering
1,300 square miles was flown in the Adirondacks to determine population
levels and t estimate trends. An added feature of these maps is a
designation wherever there is evidence of beave in a wetlands. The
maps represent aerial photographic interpretation and mapping prepared
by the Wildlife Habitat Management Section of the Bureau of Wildlife,
which designed the inventory with the Resource Information Laboratory
of Cornell University. The overlays are an attempt to use 1968 black
and white aerial photographs and sampled field checking to insure
interpretation accuracy. According a user guide prepared by the division,
the maps do not reflect natural succession or man induced changes
after 1968, nor do the maps indicate additions or deletions as a result
of field checking in the process of filing regulatory maps under section
24-0301 of the Freshwater Wetlands Act. Such official regulatory maps
were to be used to regulate activities that would have adverse impact
on wetlands or which would substantially impair any of the functions
or benefits wetlands provide.
Administrative Information
Processing Information
This collection's description was enhanced as a part of the New York
State Archives Environmental HistoryVirtual Research Collection Project,
2004. The National Endowment for the Humanities provided funding for
this project.
Use of Series
Access Restrictions
Use under supervision or with assistance of archivist due to adhesive sticking of sheets and possible damage to base maps.
Related Information
Related Material
A user's guide to the overlays, which provides detailed explanations of terms and codes, is available.
Access Terms
Corporate NamesNew York (State). Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Subjects
Conservation of natural resources -- New York (State)
Wetland conservation
Wetlands -- New York (State)
Wetland ecology
Vegetation surveys -- New York (State)
Water conservation projects
Beavers
Freshwater ecology
Geographic Names
New York (State)
Genre/Form
Maps
Overlays
Function
Monitoring ecology
Protecting environment
Maintaining environmental protection
