This Document Is Intended to Take the Complex Working Draft of the Inter-Agency Trails

DRAFT

PURPOSEurpose.

This document is intended to take the complex working draft of the Inter-Agency Trails Data Standards (ITDS) documents and extract the actual draft standards into a document that can be used by individual agencies and groups to implement the standard.

BACKGROUNDackground

The Interagency Definition of a Trail: Defined by the Interagency Trail Data Standards Team in July 2002. The interagency definition is based on and encompasses individual agency definitions of a trail, and includes “standard” trails, National Scenic Trails and National Historic Trails.

Trail: A linear route managed for human-powered, stock, or Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) forms of transportation or for historic or heritage values.

Trails provide public access for outdoor recreation opportunities as well as access to many significant prehistoric and historic sites.

Some portions of historic trails are accessible today, and provide recreational and other benefits, while others, more 'virtual' in nature, provide a cultural and/or historic experience, but are not physically capable of being traversed or accessed. Historic trails can consist of a path, a route, a corridor, a road, a river/stream, etc. (See "NHT Corridor Concept" below.)

(Refer to individual agency trail definitions for further agency-specific guidance or direction on defining a trail.)

UNDERSTANDINGnderstanding NATIONAL ational HISTORICistoric TRAILSrails (NHTs): The Corridor Concept

National Historic Trails differ from "regular" trails, which can generally be described, inventoried and managed as one linear route. This is not usually the case with NHTs. To better understand the inventory and management of NHTs, it is helpful to consider each NHT as an unofficial, informal "corridor", rather than a single line on a map. Each “NHT corridor” is comprised of two and often three aspects:

NHT1

Designated Route: What and where is the congressionally designated NHT route and associated NHT heritage sites? [NHT1 is identified for all NHTs.]

NHT2

Heritage Resources: What and where is the route and sites where history actually occurred? [NHT2 occurs on all NHTs, although physical evidence and/or remnants may no longer be present. Location may be other than the congressionally designated route.]

NHT3

Recreation and/or Interpretive Trail/Road/Sites: Where/what is the route and associated sites that people can use (i.e. trail/road/site used for recreation or interpretation)? [May or may not be present. NHT3 location may vary from the congressionally designated route and/or original, historically used route.]

To be effective, NHT administrators and managers rely on data representing two to three of these various components that can occur within an NHT corridor. It is important to note that “corridor” is used here as an unofficial descriptive concept, and is not intended to imply the existence of actual area boundaries.

IMPLEMENTATIONmplementation

The ITDS data standard is intended to be implemented where each trail segment or section has the appropriate attributes assigned to it. Because the data standard is not a ‘how to’ for implementation, it has been left to the individual agencies to determine how the attributes should be assigned and maintained. Some may choose the dynamic segmentation option while others may choose to implement transportation routes. Either way is acceptable as long as the required attributes are properly connected with the correct geographic trail sections and that method is documented.

One item of discussion for each agency implementing this standard will be that there exist certain attribute fields that will not be physically stored with the trails data on an everyday basis. This data may be derived via a geospatial or other query, or simply added when the data is prepared in response to a request for the data. Some of these have been noted in the documentation of the individual attributes. The final implementation decisions and database design are at this time incomplete and should account for this information.

The ITDS team has agreed that the standard will include Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Metadata for all geospatial Trails data. This metadata is not spelled out in the ITDS data standards but can be located at the following website: http://www.fgdc.gov/. The correct document number is FGDC-STD-001-1998

It has been noted that in the event of an Agency implementing the ITDS data standard in the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) ArcGIS software suite, the following information should also be included either in the FGDC metadata or in some other format. The ITDS standards team has attempted to avoid telling people how to complete their implementation of the standard. Rather, the team has identified but identify those items that it believes are important to include in whatever implementation is completed.

The following table lists some general information about the data standard which all data collected should meet.

Spatial Data Source: / Best available source with a target source scale of at least 1:24k for continental U.S., Puerto Rico, and Hawaii and 1:63,360 for Alaska.
Horizontal Accuracy: / Accuracy testing must use National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) testing guidelines or be reported based on compiled, published test reports appropriate for the data collection method and equipment.
The method of determining accuracy should be documented in the process step of the dataset metadata record. If published accuracy results are used, use the statement ‘Compiled to meet ___ (meters, feet) horizontal accuracy at 95% confidence interval’ in the metadata record, and identify the testing source used. If accuracy is locally tested to NSSDA standards, the statement ‘Tested to meet ___ (meters, feet) horizontal accuracy at 95% confidence interval’ should be added to the metadata record.
Accuracy for legacy data may be reported according to the accuracy standard in place at the time of data collection (typically National Map Accuracy Standards). Document the standard used in the metadata record.
(For more information, see: http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/documents/standards/accuracy/chapter3.pdf)
Spatial Reference Information: / Agency appropriate. A complete projection description in FGDC format is required including horizontal coordinate system, datum, and units of measure. Include vertical coordinate system information where necessary.
Feature Type: / Line (route and arc topology)
Precision: / Double precision

During the development of the data standard, one of the items considered as a part of the data parameters was the determination of whether the individual attribute would represent unique values.

No Columns / Aattributes listed here would have a unique set of values. T, therefore, do not plan to use any of these attributes as database keys. Primary and Foreign keys will need to be system generated according to the implementing agencies’ data standards.

The remaining data parameters values are defined at the end of the Trails Attributes Table in the next sectionfollowing table.

TRAILS ATTRIBUTES TABLE

The following table shows the trail attributes and their associated structure. It also shows which attributes are required for which type of trail. The GIS ITEM _NAME field is the formal attribute name and is 10 characters wide. This allows for the use of shapefiles for transfer of data from one agency to another. The preferred method would be to use a personal geodatabase layer but that may not always be possible. The GIS Alternate Name field is the longer version of the name and is commonly referred to as the alias for the field name. By using an ‘alias’ field, we are able to create one that is wider than 10 characters and has more complete and descriptive names within it.

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ATTRIBUTE NAME / GIS ITEM NAME / GIS Alternate Name / DATA DEFINITION / Null or
Not Null / Overlap Allowed?
/ Reg. Trail / NST / NHT1
(Desig) / NHT2
(HR) / NHT3
(Rec)
AGENCY DATA SOURCE / AG_SOURCE / AGENCY_DATA_SOURCE / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
ACCESSIBILITY STATUS / ACCESS_STA / ACCESSIBILITY_STATUS / Text (40) / Not Null (except NHT1, NHT2) / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
ADMINISTRATIVEAGENCY / AGENCY / AGENCY / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
ADMIN ORG / ADMIN_ORG / ADMIN_ORG / Text (16) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT / CONG_DIST / CONGRESSIONAL_DISTRICT / Text / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
COST ANNUAL/CYCLIC MAINTENANCE / COST_AM / COST_ANNUAL_CYCLIC_MAINTENANCE / Number (10.2) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
COST ANNUAL/CYCLIC OPERATIONS / COST_OPS / COST_ANNUAL_CYCLIC_OPERATIONS / Number (10.2) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
COST DEFERRED MAINTENANCE / COST_DM / COST_DEFERRED_MAINTENANCE / Number (10.2) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
COST LAST UPDATED / COST_FY / COST_LAST_UPDATED / Integer (4) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
COST IMPROVEMENT/ CONSTRUCTION / COST_IMP / COST_IMPROVEMENT_CONSTRUCTION / Number (10.2) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
COUNTY / COUNTY / COUNTY / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
DESIGNED USE / DESIGN_USE / DESIGNED_USE / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE / HIST_SIGNF / HISTORIC_SIGNIFICANCE / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X
ATTRIBUTE NAME / GIS ITEM NAME / GIS Alternate Name / DATA DEFINITION / Null or
Not Null / Overlap Allowed?
/ Reg. Trail / NST / NHT1
(Desig) / NHT2
(HR) / NHT3
(Rec)
INTERAGENCY IDENTIFICATION CODE / INTERAG_ID / INTERAGENCY_IDENTIFICATION_CODE / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
JURISDICTION / JURISDICT / JURISDICTION / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
LAND USE PLAN / LAND_PLAN / LAND_USE_PLAN / Text (40) / Null / Allow Multiple Entries / X / X / X / X / X
MANAGED USE / MANAGD_USE / MANAGED_USE / Text (40) / Not Null / Allow Multiple Entries / X / X / X
MANAGING AGENCY / MANAG_AGCY / MANAGING_AGENCY / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
MANAGING ORG / MANAG_ORG / MANAGING_ORG / Text (16) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
MOTORIZED PROHIBITED / MTR_PROHIB / MOTORIZED_PROHIBITED / Text (3) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
MUNICIPALITY / MUNICIPAL / MUNICIPALITY / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
NHT/NST TRAIL ADMINISTRATOR / NHTNST_ADM / NHT_NST_TRAIL_ADMINISTRATOR / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
NHT AUTO-TOUR SURFACE / NHTATRSURF / NHT_AUTO_TOUR_SURFACE / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X
NHT CONDITION CATEGORY / NHT_COND / NHT_CONDITION_CATEGORY / Text (10) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X
NHT HIGH POTENTIAL SEGMENT / NHT_HP_SEG / NHT_HIGH_POTENTIAL_SEGMENT / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X
NHT HIGH POTENTIAL SITE / NHT_HP_SIT / NHT_HIGH_POTENTIAL_SITE / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X
ATTRIBUTE NAME / GIS ITEM NAME / GIS Alternate Name / DATA DEFINITION / Null or
Not Null / Overlap Allowed?
/ Reg. Trail / NST / NHT1
(Desig) / NHT2
(HR) / NHT3
(Rec)
NHT PUBLIC USE SEGMENT / NHT_PU_SEG / NHT_PUBLIC_USE_SEGMENT / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
NHT PUBLIC USE SITE / NHT_PU_SIT / NHT_PUBLIC_USE_SITE / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X
NHT SITE NAME / NHT_SIT_NM / NHT_SITE_NAME / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X
NHT SITE NUMBER / NHT_SIT_NR / NHT_SITE_NUMBER / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
NRHP CRITERIA / NRHP_CRIT / NRHP_CRITERIA / Text (40) / Null / Allow Multiple Entries / X / X
NRHP PROPERTY CATEGORY / NRHP_CAT / NRHP_PROPERTY_CATEGORY / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X
NATIONAL TRAIL DESIGNATION / NAT_TR_DES / NATIONAL_TRAIL_DESIGNATION / Text (40) / Null / Allow Multiple Entries / X / X / X / X / X
PRIMARY TRAIL MAINTAINER / PR_TR_MNTR / PRIMARY_TRAIL_MAINTAINER / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
PROHIBITED USE / PROHIB_USE / PROHIBITED_USE / Text (40) / Null / Allow Multiple Entries / X / X / X
RIGHTS-OF-WAY / ROW / RIGHTS_OF_WAY / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
ROAD SYSTEM / ROAD_SYS / ROAD_SYSTEM / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X** / X**
SHARED SYSTEM / SHARED_SYS / SHARED_SYSTEM / Text (40) / Null / Allow Multiple Entries / X / X / X / X** / X**
SPECIAL MGMT AREA / SPC_MGT_AR / SPECIAL_MANAGEMENT_AREA / Text (60) / Null / Allow Multiple Entries / X / X / X / X / X
ATTRIBUTE NAME / GIS ITEM NAME / GIS Alternate Name / DATA DEFINITION / Null or
Not Null / Overlap Allowed?
/ Reg. Trail / NST / NHT1
(Desig) / NHT2
(HR) / NHT3
(Rec)
STATE / STATE / STATE / Text (2) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
TRAIL CLASS / TR_CLASS / TRAIL_CLASS / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
TRAIL CONDITION / TR_COND / TRAIL_CONDITION / Text (60) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
TRAIL LENGTH / TR_LENGTH / TRAIL_LENGTH / Numeric (8.4) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X** / X**
TRAIL NAME / TR_NAME / TRAIL_NAME / Text (60) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X / X
TRAIL NUMBER / TR_NUM / TRAIL_NUMBER / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X
TRAIL STATUS / TR_STATUS / TRAIL_STATUS / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
TRAIL SURFACE / TR_SURFC / TRAIL_SURFACE / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X
TRAIL SYSTEM / TR_SYS / TRAIL_SYSTEM / Text (40) / Not Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X / X** / X**
TYPE OF ROUTE / TYPE_RTE / TYPE_OF_ROUTE / Text (40) / Null / Allow Multiple Entries
(Route may function as Road in summer and Snow Trail in winter.) / X / X** / X**
TYPE OF SITE / TYPE_SITE / TYPE_OF_SITE / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / X / X / X**
ATTRIBUTE NAME / GIS ITEM NAME / GIS Alternate Name / DATA DEFINITION / Null or
Not Null / Overlap Allowed?
/ Reg. Trail / NST / NHT1
(Desig) / NHT2
(HR) / NHT3
(Rec)
VISITOR CENTER NAME / VISCTR_NAM / VISITOR_CENTER_NAME / Text (40) / Null / No Overlap Allowed / (X) / (X) / X
VISITOR FACILITY TYPE / VISFAC_TYP / VISITOR_FACILITY_TYPE / Text (40) / Null / Allow Multiple Entries / (X) / (X) / (X)
Attribute Color Coding:
Attribute applicable only to National Historic Trails (NHT)

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