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Open - Full view of Connecticut Critical Habitats
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Open - Detailed view of Connecticut Critical Habitats
The State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection is the collector of the data (compiler), the creator and maintainer of the data layer (editor), and producer (publisher) of this information for use. Funding for this project was provided by Governor M. Jodi Rell's Executive Order 15 regarding Responsible Growth and Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Please visit http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/cwp/view.asp?A=1719&Q=320908 and/or www.ct.gov/deep for more information about this initiative.
Connecticut Critical Habitats is a polygon feature-based layer with a resolution of +/- 10 meters that represents significant natural community types occurring in Connecticut. This layer is a subset of habitat-related vegetation associations, described in Connecticut's Natural Vegetation Classification, that were designated as key habitats for species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. These habitats are known to host a number of rare species including highly specialized invertebrates with very specific habitat associations. Some key habitats are broken into subtypes based on natural variations in plant species dominance and/or vegetation structure. These differences are apparent in the subtype names. Connecticut Critical Habitats can serve to highlight ecologically significant areas and to target areas of species diversity.
Connecticut Critical Habitats feature class depicts the location and distribution of selected Critical Habitats in the state of Connecticut. This layer can be used to perform various spatial analyses that pertain to Critical Habitats, to aid in determining site management and conservation priorities, prioritizing field surveys, and to further document the distribution and abundance of State-listed and/or rare vertebrate and invertebrate species within the significant habitats. Use this layer appropriately with data maintaining similar resolution. Not intended for maps printed at a resolution greater or more detailed than 1:2000.
For additional information, refer to the following publications: Metzler, Kenneth J. and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification. 2006. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut. Report of Investigations #12. Hartford Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. 2004. Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Species. Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources. 2006. Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy.
79 Elm Street
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None. No restrictions or legal prerequisites for accessing the data. The data is in the public domain and may be redistributed.
None. No restrictions or legal prerequisites for using the data after access is granted. The data is suitable for use at appropriate scale, and is not intended for maps printed with a resolution greater or more detailed than 1:2000. Although this data set has been used by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection as to the accuracy of the data and or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection in the use of these data or related materials. The user assumes the entire risk related to the use of these data. Once the data is distributed to the user, modifications made to the data by the user should be noted in the metadata. When printing this data on a map or using it in a software application, analysis, or report, please acknowledge the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection as the source for this information. For example, include the following data source description when printing this layer on a map: Connecticut Critical Habitat delineations are from the Critical_habitat_poly layer, compiled and published by the Geologic and Natural History Survery of the CT Department of Environmental Protection .
| Boundary | Coordinate |
|---|---|
| Left | 773598.150023 (survey feet) |
| Right | 1263079.723880 (survey feet) |
| Top | 944581.776825 (survey feet) |
| Bottom | 564745.782890 (survey feet) |
| Boundary | Coordinate |
|---|---|
| West | -73.583564 (longitude) |
| East | -71.781406 (longitude) |
| North | 42.053442 (latitude) |
| South | 41.007049 (latitude) |
'Critical_habitat_poly' features are primarily identified by the 'COMMTYP' and 'COMSUBTYP' fields. Use the 'COMMTYPE' attribute to symbolize and label features by type on a map. The 'Group_legend' attribute can be used as a simplified way to group and symbolize features. The 'SITENAME' field serves as an informal non-unique location identifier for groups of polygons, based on local place or feature names or property names. The 'ASSOCDATA' field will indicate if the polygon data was derived in part from an additional external study or project and may have further information available.
CRITICAL_HABITAT_POLY represented as polygon features.
State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection
Internal feature number.
ESRI
This is an informal location identification using the local place or feature name or property name. The site name is not unique, there may be multiple polygons with the same site name and there may be multiple community types with the same site name.
A sequential number assigned when multiple polygons of the same community type occur at the same site.
Indicates the particular natural vegetation community type the polygon represents as determined by the CT Vegetation Classification System and CT DEP field biologists, botanists, and ecologists.
| Value | Definition |
|---|---|
| Acidic Atlantic White Cedar Swamp |
Evergreen forested and /or shrub swamps dominated by Atlantic white cedar with stagnant or slow-moving water; in topographically defined basins; on decomposed peats and mucks. Subtypes include cedar, cedar/hardwood, cedar/great laurel, and other /unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 91 - Appendix II Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-22 - 4-23 | |
| Acidic Red/Black Spruce Basin Swamp |
Evergreen forested and /or shrub swamps dominated by red and/or black spruce with stagnant or slow-moving water; in topographically defined basins; on decomposed peats and mucks. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 91 - Appendix II Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-23 | |
| Acidic Rocky Summit Outcrop |
Dry to xeric exposed summits, ledges, and other outcrops with a vegetation of small trees, low shrubs, grasses and herbs. (gneiss, schist, granite, sandstone). Subtypes include grassy glade/bald, pitch pine, scrub oak, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 85 - Appendix II | |
| Alluvial Grassland/Outcrop |
Flood-scoured, rocky ledges and other outcrops with a vegetation of small trees, low shrubs, grasses and herbs. Subtypes include grassland, outcrop, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 40 (anecdotal) | |
| Beachshore |
Windswept and wave washed sandy beaches and their associated sand dunes. Subtypes include salt, riverine and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 92 - Appendix II - Intertidal Beaches and Shores Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-39 - 4-40 (Intertidal Beaches and Shores) and pp 4-16 (Coastal Dunes) | |
| Caves and other Subterranean Habitat |
Natural underground habitats such as marble solution caves and crevices in boulder slopes; and man-made underground openings such as aqueducts and abandoned mines |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-82 - 4-83 | |
| Circumneutral Northern White Cedar Swamp |
Evergreen forested and /or shrub swamps dominated by Northern white cedar with base-rich stagnant or slow-moving water; in topographically defined basins; on decomposed peats and mucks. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 92 - Appendix II Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-23 | |
| Circumneutral Rocky Summit Outcrop |
Dry to xeric exposed summits, ledges, and other outcrops (marble) with a vegetation of small trees, low shrubs, grasses and herbs; on marble bedrock. Subtypes include grassy glade/bald, cedar woodland, Scrub oak and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 85 - Appendix II | |
| Circumneutral Spring Fen |
Naturally open wetlands occupying high pH groundwater discharge sites; peat accumulation minimal. Subtypes include sedge, shrub thicket, phragmites, woodland, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 90 - Appendix II Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-32 (Calcareous Spring Fen) | |
| Coastal Bluffs and Headlands |
Dry seaside cliffs, bluffs and other open headlands, exposed to winds and salt spray. Subtypes include pitch pine/post oak, cedar bluff, outcrop, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-81 - 4-82 | |
| Coastal Grasslands |
Open grasslands dominated by warm season species in close proximity to Long Island Sound, exposed to wind and salt spray. |
Definition Source: (definition unpublished) Kenneth J. Metzler: Connecticut State Geological and Natural History Survey, CT Department of Environmental Protection | |
| Coastal Woodland/Shrubland |
Dry to moist open woodlands on or near the coast; often stunted by wind or salt deposition from coastal storms. Subtypes include shrubland, woodland, woodland/shrubland and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-13 | |
| Dry Acidic Forest |
Poorly growing deciduous forests often dominated by oaks with various mixtures of pine often with dwarf ericaceous shrubs. The only sites mapped were those occurring on stratified sand and gravel. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 86 - Appendix II Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-8 (specifically Dry Oak Forest) | |
| Dry Circumneutral Forest |
Dry, rich forests often dominated by oaks and sugar maple, generally with a diverse herbaceous layer, on marble bedrock. Subtypes include cedar woodlands and maple/ yellow oak. |
Definition Source: Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett, The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 87 - Appendix II Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-8 (Calcareous Forest) | |
| Dry Subacidic Forest |
Slow-growing forests, primarily on or near the summit of basalt or other mafic rocks; often dominated by white ash, hickories and hophornbeam, with few shrubs and an open grassy ground cover. Subtypes include ash/hickory woodland and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 87 - Appendix II | |
| Floodplain Forest |
Mesic forests and associated open, alluvial wetlands influenced by seasonal inundation, with flood deposited sandy or nutrient-rich silty soils. Subtypes include high floodplain, low floodplain forest, alluvial marsh, alluvial swamp, undifferientated, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 88 - Appendix II Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-23 | |
| Freshwater Aquatic |
"Coastal Plain Pond" is the only subtype that was mapped for this project. Primarily "sandy substrate" ponds that experience a seasonal fluctuation in water level. |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-44 | |
| Intertidal Marsh |
Regularly and irregularly flooded marshes influenced by water with varying salinity. Freshwater marsh, has salinity less than 0.5 ppt. Includes tidal woodlands. Brackish marsh has a salinity range of 0.5 to 18 ppt. Salt marsh has a salinity range greater than 18 ppt. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 93 - Appendix II Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-39 (Tidal Wetlands) | |
| Medium Fen |
Natural peatlands occupying topographically defined basins; often flooded by acidic surface water; on deep, poorly decomposed peats; dominated by sedges and/or shrubs. Subtypes include sedge, shrub thicket, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 90 - Appendix II | |
| Old Growth Forest |
Second growth forests that have not undergone human disturbance during their developmental cycle. Subtypes include white pine, white pine/spruce, hemlock, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-9 | |
| Poor Fen |
Natural peatlands (bogs) occupying topographically defined basins; influenced by acidic ground water; on deep, poorly decomposed peats; dominated primarily by ericaceous shrubs. Subtypes include dwarf shrub, shrub thicket, saturated woodland, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 90 - Appendix II | |
| Rich Fen |
Natural peatlands occupying topographically defined basins; influenced by base-rich waters; on deep, poorly decomposed peats; restricted to the western marble valleys. Subtypes include sedge, shrub thicket, dwarf shrub, woodland, phragmites, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 90 - Appendix II | |
| Sand Barren |
Dry sandy deposits with woody or grassy vegetation maintained by fire. Subtypes include sparsely vegetated sand, sandplain grassland, pitch pine scrub, riverine dredge spoils, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 85 - Appendix II | |
| Sea Level Fen |
Herbaceous fens occuring on salt marsh-upland transitions; influenced by groundwater discharge; on saturated mineral soils; dominated by sedges and sphagnum mosses. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 45 | |
| Subacidic Cold Talus Forest/Woodland |
Dry to moist open woodlands or forests on coarse colluvial deposits of primarily basalt and other mafic rocks; with soil and humus in pockets between the rocks, cold air drainage maintains "northern" plant associations. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 86 - Appendix II | |
| Subacidic Rocky Summit Outcrop |
Dry to xeric exposed summits, ledges, and other outcrops (primarily basalt and other mafic rocks) with a vegetation of low shrubs, grasses and herbs. Subtypes include grassy glades/balds, cedar woodlands, scrub oak, and other/unique. |
Definition Source: Metzler, Kenneth J., and Juliana P. Barrett. The Vegetation of Connecticut - A Preliminary Classification; Geoglogical and Natural History Survey, CT DEP: 2006 pp 85 - Appendix II |
Indicates the particular community subtype of as defined by the CT Vegetation Classification System and State of CT field biologists, botanists, and ecologists. Some key habitats are broken into subtypes based on natural variations in plant species dominance and/or vegetation structure. These differences are apparent in the subtype names.
| Value | Definition |
|---|---|
| Alluvial Marsh |
Open alluvial wetlands influenced by seasonal inundation, with flood deposited sandy or nutrient-rich silty soils; Subtype of Community Type, Floodplain Forest. |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-32 (Freshwater Marsh) | |
| Alluvial Swamp |
Alluvial Swamp; Subtype of Community Type, 'Floodplain Forest.' |
| Ash/Hickory Glade |
Ash/Hickory Glade; Subtype of Community Type, 'Dry Subacidic Forest.' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Dry Subacidic Forest' | |
| Brackish Marsh |
Regularly and irregularly flooded marshes influenced by water with a salinity range of 0.5 to 18 ppt.; Subtype of Community Type, 'Intertidal Marsh' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Intertidal Marsh' | |
| Cave |
Cave; Subtype of Community Type, 'Caves and Other Subterranean Habitat' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Caves and Other Subterranean Habitat' | |
| Cedar Bluff |
Cedar Bluff; Subtype of Community Type, 'Coastal Bluffs and Headlands' where cedar is the dominant vegetation. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Coastal Bluffs and Headlands' | |
| Cedar Swamp |
Cedar Swamp; Subtype of Community Type, 'Acidic Atlantic White Cedar Swamp' where cedar is pure, i.e. not predominantly mixed with another species. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Acidic Atlantic White Cedar Swamp' | |
| Cedar Woodland |
Cedar Woodland; Subtype of Community Types, 'Circumneutral Rocky Summit Outcrop,' 'Dry Circumneutral Forest,' and 'Subacidic Rocky Summit Outcrop' |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-12 - 4-13 ( Red Cedar Glades) | |
| Cedar/Great Laurel |
Cedar/Great Laurel; Subtype of Community Type, 'Acidic Atlantic White Cedar Swamp' where cedar and great laurel are co-dominant. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Acidic Atlantic White Cedar Swamp' | |
| Cedar/Hardwood |
Cedar/Hardwood; Subtype of Community Type, 'Acidic Atlantic White Cedar Swamp' where Cedar shares dominance with Hardwood species. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Acidic Atlantic White Cedar Swamp' | |
| Coastal Plain Pond |
"Coastal Plain Ponds" are primarily "sandy substrate" ponds that experience a seasonal fluctuation in water level. A Subtype of Community Type, 'Freshwater Aquatic' |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-66 - 4-69 | |
| Dwarf Shrub |
Dwarf Shrub; A Subtype of Community Types, 'Poor Fen' and 'Rich Fen' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definitions: 'Poor Fen' and 'Rich Fen' | |
| Freshwater Marsh |
Regularly and irregularly flooded marshes influenced by water with salinity less than 0.5 ppt. Includes tidal woodlands. A Subtype of Community Type, 'Intertidal Marsh' |
Definition Source: Please see definition for 'Intertidal Marsh' | |
| Grassland |
Grassland; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Alluvial Grassland/Outcrop' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Alluvial Grassland/Outcrop' | |
| Grassy Glade/Bald |
Grassy Glade/Balds are found on dry exposed summits, ledges and outcrops. Vegetation is typically low shrubs, grasses, and herbs, including bearberry, lowbush blueberry, sand cherry, poverty grass, and little bluestem; A Subtype of Community Types, 'Acidic Rocky Summit Outcrop,' 'Circumneutral Rocky Summit Outcrop,' and 'Subacidic Rocky Summit Outcrop.' |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-17 | |
| Hemlock |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Old Growth Forest' where hemlock is the dominant tree species. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Old Growth Forest.' | |
| High Floodplain |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Floodplain Forest' primarily determined by the duration and frequency of flooding. "High Floodplain" refers to infrequently flooded areas dominated by a rich, diverse assemblege of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Floodplain Forest.' | |
| Low Floodplain |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Floodplain Forest', primarily determined by the duration and frequency of flooding. "Low Floodplain" refers to areas regularly flooded for longer periods into the growing season. Dominated primarily by silver maple and cottonwood, few shrubs and a dense ground cover of herbaceous plants and ferns. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Floodplain Forest.' | |
| Maple/Yellow Oak |
Maple/Yellow Oak; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Dry Circumneutral Forest' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Dry Circumneutral Forest' | |
| Other/Unique |
A Subtype of a given Community Type where the habitat does not coincide with the other Subtypes specified. When this is used, it is usually further defined in the 'COMMENTS' field. |
| Outcrop |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Alluvial Grassland/Outcrop' and 'Coastal Bluffs and Headlands' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Alluvial Grassland/Outcrop' | |
| Phragmites |
A Subtype of Community Types, 'Rich Fen' and 'Circumneutral Spring Fen' distinguished for a high restoration priority. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definitions: 'Rich Fen' and 'Circumneutral Spring Fen' | |
| Pitch Pine |
Pitch Pine; A Subtype of Community Type 'Acidic Rocky Summit Outcrop' |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-13 | |
| Pitch Pine Scrub |
Pitch Pine Scrub; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Sand Barren' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Sand Barren' | |
| Pitch Pine/Post Oak |
Pitch Pine/Post Oak; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Coastal Bluffs and Headlands' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Coastal Bluffs and Headlands' | |
| Riverine |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Beachshore.' Indicative of a beachshore community within a riverine system. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Beachshore' | |
| Riverine Dredge Spoil |
Riverine Dredge Spoil; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Sand Barren.' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Sand Barren' | |
| Salt |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Beachshore.' Indicative of a beachshore community within a salt water habitat. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Beachshore' | |
| Salt Marsh |
Regularly and irregularly flooded marshes influenced by water with a salinity range greater than 18 ppt. A Subtype of Community Type, 'Intertidal Marsh' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Intertidal Marsh' | |
| Sandplain Grassland |
Sandplain Grassland; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Sand Barren' |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-17 | |
| Saturated Woodland |
Saturated Woodland; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Poor Fen' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Poor Fen' | |
| Scrub Oak |
Scrub Oak; A Subtype of Community Types, 'Acidic Rocky Summit Outcrop,' 'Circumneutral Rocky Summit Outcrop,' and 'Subacidic Rocky Summit Outcrop.' |
| Sedge |
Sedge; A Subtype of Community Types, 'Circumneutral Spring Fen,' 'Medium Fen,' and 'Rich Fen.' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definitions: 'Circumneutral Spring Fen,' 'Medium Fen,' and 'Rich Fen.' | |
| Shrub Thicket |
Shrub Thicket; A Subtype of Community Types, 'Circumneutral Spring Fen,' 'Medium Fen,' 'Poor Fen,' and 'Rich Fen.' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definitions: 'Circumneutral Spring Fen,' 'Medium Fen,' 'Poor Fen,' and 'Rich Fen.' | |
| Shrubland |
Shrubland; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Coastal Woodland/Shrubland.' |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-13 | |
| Sparsely Vegetated Sand |
Sparsely Vegetated Sand; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Sand Barren' |
Definition Source: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CCWCS); State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources: pp 4-17 - 4-18 | |
| Stratified Sand and Gravel |
Stratified Sand and Gravel; A Subtype of Community Type, 'Dry Acidic Forest' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Dry Acidic Forest' | |
| Undifferentiated |
A Subtype of Community Type 'Floodplain Forest' used when making no distinction within the mapped habitat of high or low floodplain and/or alluvial marsh and swamp. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Floodplain Forest' | |
| White Pine |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Old Growth Forest' where white pine is the dominant tree species. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Old Growth Forest' | |
| White Pine/Spruce |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Old Growth Forest' where white pine/spruce are the co-dominant tree species. |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Old Growth Forest' | |
| Woodland |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Rich Fen' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Rich Fen' | |
| Woodland/Shrubland |
A Subtype of Community Type, 'Coastal Woodland/Shrubland' |
Definition Source: see Community Type definition: 'Coastal Woodland/Shrubland' |
Size in acres of the given polygon calculated by dividing 43560 by the value generated in the SHAPE_Area field.
The date in which the site was last visited by a DEP field biologist, botanist, and/or ecologist. (It should be noted that a date of 1/1/year is indicative only of the specific year, not the month or day)
Addresses the method used to create the polygon. Either aerial photo interpretation or GPS field data collection will be indicated.
| Value | Definition |
|---|---|
| GPS Field Data |
Data was collected on site using GPS equipment to delineate boundaries. |
| Aerial Photo Interpretation |
Data was created by heads-up digitizing boundaries using digital orthoimagery. Characteristic vegetation was identified by aerial photo interpretation by qualified biologists. |
| Aerial Photo Interpretation based on GPS Field Data |
Data was originally collected on site using GPS equipment, and was further refined by aerial photo interpretation of digital orthoimagery. |
Denotes the base map imagery used to create the polygon, when the data method indicates that the polygon was created using aerial photo interpretation.
When GPS field equipment is used, this field specifies the make and model of the unit.
Indicates the group responsible for the data's current representation.
The date in which the polygon was created or last edited (It should be noted that a date of 1/1/year is indicative only of the specified year and not the month and day)
Indicates other data sources or projects that contributed data used to create the feature, or other data sources that may have additional information about the feature or site.
Indicates species that occur on site, this may include dominant vegetation and/or rare species, as well as component plant associations.
Miscellaneous information and or data pertinent to the site the polygon represents. May include information on site conditions, invasives species, and plant associations.
An internal DEP code, developed by the state heritage program and NatureServe, used to identify the habitat type within the Biotics database.
An internal DEP identification number assigned to an area of habitat within the Biotics database.
Indicates whether the polygon's area and attributes have been quality controlled by State of CT professional staff.
Indicates the dilusion of precision for GPS field collected data. All PDOP values listed are max values.
Indicates the horizontal dilusion of precision for GPS field collected data. All HDOP values listed are max values.
Indicates the horizontal precision for GPS field collected data. All horizontal precision data are averaged values.
A general organization of the critical habitats by vegetation structure such as a dominance of trees, shrubs, or herbaceous plants and hydrology such as the influence of salt water versus fresh water.
| Value | Definition |
|---|---|
| Estuarine |
Estuarine habitats include salt, brackish and freshwater tidal marshes. Also included are intertidal beaches and shores and their associated sand dunes. |
| Palustrine Forested |
Palustrine habitats include swamps that are seasonally and/or permanently flooded by freshwater. Forest habitats are characterized by a dominance of trees with overlapping crowns forming between 60-100% canopy cover. |
| Palustrine Non-forested |
Palustrine habitats include marshes, bogs and fens that are seasonally and/or permanently flooded by freshwater. Also included are riverine beach strands that are exposed during low-flow conditions along the banks of major rivers. Non-forested habitats are characterized by a dominance of shrubs and herbaceous plants, with or without scattered trees. |
| Terrestrial Forested |
Terrestrial habitats include upland forests and woodlands that are not influenced by surface or groundwater flooding. Forest habitats are characterized by a dominance of trees with overlapping crowns forming between 60-100% canopy cover. |
| Terrestrial Non-forested |
Terrestrial habitats include upland shrublands and herbaceous and/or sparsely vegetated areas that are not influenced by surface or groundwater flooding. Non-forested habitats are characterized by a dominance of shrubs and herbaceous plants, with or without scattered trees. |
Polygon centroid X coordinate in CT State Plane (feet).
Polygon centroid Y coordinate in CT State Plane (feet).
Abbreviation of Community Type used to label polygons.
Feature geometry.
ESRI
Polygon area in square feet.
Perimeter in feet.
Polygon features conform to the following topological rules. Polygons are single part. Polygons do not overlap other polygons. Establishment of logical consistency was performed by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection using ESRI ArcGIS software to create and control feature topology in Geodatabase format. Rules were applied to test topological integrity.
The completeness of the data reflects the feature content of the data sources, which include the original feature classes, maps, field data sheets, and GPS data files. The Critical_Habitat_poly layer represents only a subset of Connecticut's critical habitats, as identified in Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy and is complete in the sense that it accurately reflects the contents of the information available to the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection at the time of its creation. There is inherent variation in both the accuracy and completeness of each community type. For example, habitats such as Atlantic white cedar swamps, poor fens and tidal marshes have a long history of data collection and are nearly complete in both their depicted distribution and delineation accuracy. In contrast, the distribution of habitats such as dry acidic forests and dry circumneutral forests is reasonably known, but is incompletely mapped due to difficulty in delineating these habitats using remote data. Known locations of these and other critical habitat types that were not mapped as polygons are included in the CritHab_AdditSites layer within the geodatabase.
The habitat_poly layer retains the feature types and information identified by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection and obtained from the XYZ orginal feature classes, maps, field data sheets, and GPS data files. All attributes have valid values. Values are within defined domains. The values present in 'ACREAGE' were manually calculated using the generated 'SHAPE_Area' value that contains the area of the polygon in square feet. This value was then manually divided by the value, 43560, to obtain the area value in acres.
The horizontal positional accuracy of this data is based on +/-0.8 feet resolution Ortho Photos. Many of the locations may lie within 1.6 feet of their real world location, however, due to inconsistencies with the photo imagery and due to the nature of the entity being mapped (being dynamic in many cases), we maintain the horizontal positional accuracy be between 3 and 10 meters or 10 and 30 feet. Polygon features are approximate representations for small and large area objects having defined boundaries best identified by a professional field biologist, botanists or ecologist versed in the classifications of the ecologic communities of CT. Features are accurately positioned as they were well documented by CT DEP field biologists, botanists, and/or ecologists, were easily identifiable using 2004 BW Orthophoto imagery and other DEP datalayers such as topography or soils, or were field delineated by way of GPS.
Poor Fen and Cedar Swamp polygons on which more current Poor Fen and Cedar Swamp polygons were based.
The data from "DEP updated NWI data" serves as the source for most of the Cedar Swamp and Poor Fen polygons in the geodatabase.
The data from the CT DEP In-house NWI serves as the source data for various Cedar Swamp and Poor Fen site areas within the geodatabase.
The data from the National Diversity Data Base collected and maintained by State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection biologists serves as the source data for various critical habitat site areas providing general locations and historical field data that were improved upon once added to the geodatabase.
The data from the FRWA 2002 Biodiverisity Project serves as the data source for many of the critical habitats present within the Farmington River Watershed area. This project provided detailed mapping and vegetation descriptions. Hard copy mapping from this project proved to be more reliable than the digital source data.
publication date
The data from the Eightmile River Wild and Scenic Study 2003 serves as the data source for many of the critical habitats present within the Eightmile River Watershed area. This project provided detailed mapping and vegetation descriptions.
The data from the Sand Plain Distribution Study serves as the data source for many of the Sand Barrens inherent within the geodatabase. This project provided the most comprehensive look at the distribution of sand plains in the Connecticut River Valley and included a habitat evaluation and information on associated invertebrate species.
The data from the Canaan Mountain Vegetation survey serves as the data source for many of the Critical Habitats in the Canaan Mountain Natural Area Preserve.
The data from the Groton - New London Airport Vegetation survey serves as the data source for many of the Critical Habitats in the Groton - New London Airport.
The data from the Coastal Features collected and maintained by State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Long Island Sound biologists serves as the source data for intertidal marshes and beachshores providing general locations and historical field data that were improved upon once added to the geodatabase. This data set includes coastal sites with exceptional habitat qualities such as natural dunes and unditched tidal marshes and/or State listed species. Research and restoration sites are also included.
National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) original polygons were photo interpreted using 1980 1:80,000 BW diapositives. These were then updated and hand transferred onto 1:24,000 USGS topographic paper maps using a Stereo Zoom Transfer Scope. The hand drawn polygons were further updated and were manually digitized using a digitizing tablet and stored in the form of a shapefile.
http://www.fws.gov
Poor Fen and Cedar Swamp polygons on which more current Poor Fen and Cedar Swamp polygons were based.
CT DEP In-house NWI were photo interpreted using 1980 1:80,000 BW diapositives. These were then updated and hand transferred onto 1:24,000 USGS topographic paper maps using a Stereo Zoom Transfer Scope.
79 Elm Street
Poor Fen and Cedar Swamp polygons on which more current Poor Fen and Cedar Swamp polygons were based.
The data from the CT DEP In-house NWI serves as the source data for various Cedar Swamp and Poor Fen site areas within the geodatabase.
Data from the listed data sources was compiled and loaded into a geodatabase. The data was organized collectively under one set of attributes. Polygons were edited and quality controlled using the 2004 BW Digital Ortho Photos to further refine the boundaries of each polygon. Some areas were refined by way of a GPS and field visit and are noted as such within the attributes. Polygons collected using a GPS would be post-processed using Pathfinder Office v.2.8 software, differentially corrected using the CORS Guilford, CT location, and exported into ArcMap to be added into the 'habitat_sites' feature class.
79 Elm Street
The data from "DEP updated NWI data" serves as the source for most of the Cedar Swamp and Poor Fen polygons in the geodatabase.
The data from the CT DEP In-house NWI serves as the source data for various Cedar Swamp and Poor Fen site areas within the geodatabase.
The data from the FRWA 2002 Biodiverisity Project serves as the data source for many of the critical habitats present within the Farmington River Watershed area. This project provided detailed mapping and vegetation descriptions. Hard copy mapping from this project proved to be more reliable than the digital source data.
publication date
The data from the Canaan Mountain Vegetation survey serves as the data source for many of the Critical Habitats in the Canaan Mountain Natural Area Preserve.
The data from the Groton - New London Airport Vegetation survey serves as the data source for many of the Critical Habitats in the Groton - New London Airport.
The data from the Coastal Features collected and maintained by State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Long Island Sound biologists serves as the source data for intertidal marshes and beachshores providing general locations and historical field data that were improved upon once added to the geodatabase. This data set includes coastal sites with exceptional habitat qualities such as natural dunes and unditched tidal marshes and/or State listed species. Research and restoration sites are also included.
Connecticut Critical Habitats
Although this data set has been used by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection as to the accuracy of the data and or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection in the use of these data or related materials. The user assumes the entire risk related to the use of these data. Once the data is distributed to the user, modifications made to the data by the user should be noted in the metadata.
Geographic information sytem (GIS), computer-aided drawing or other mapping software is necessary to display, view and access the information.
79 Elm Street
The data distributor does not provide custom GIS analysis or mapping services. Data is available in a standard format and may be converted to other formats, projections, coordinate systems, or selected for specific geographic regions by the party receiving the data.
79 Elm Street
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