Vegetation Science
Studying and Protecting California’s plant communities
We don’t save individual plant species in isolation. Plants belong to communities of plant species, playing foundational roles in our ecosystems. Our understanding of those relationships is critical to both conservation and science. The CNPS Vegetation Program has established a vegetation classification system that has become the standard for interpreting statewide vegetation patterns and for initiating local and regional ecological assessments. Today, the program continues to expand this knowledge to inform conservation and land-use planning amidst current critical decisions. Read on to learn more.
The MCV is California’s definitive system for describing vegetation statewide. It uses a principal unit called an “Alliance” (or series), which is a floristically defined vegetation type identified by its dominant and/or characteristic species.
Credit Nancy Buck.
CNPS tools and training identify and protect rare and at-risk vegetation types as key units of biodiversity.
Credit Nancy Buck.
Explore current CNPS mapping and classification projects by region.
Mapping & Classification Reports
Priority Habitats
Over 90% of California’s native grasslands have already been lost. CNPS works to map, classify, and protect what remains.
Climate change, wildfire, and development threaten California’s chaparral. CNPS works with partners to protect, map, and advocate for this ecosystem.
Oak woodlands cover about 10% of California’s land mass but are home to almost a third of the state’s total vertebrate diversity, making them a powerhouse of California’s native ecosystems.
California has lost 85–98% of its riparian and wetland habitats to development, agriculture, and water diversion. CNPS works to research, monitor, and restore what remains.
Field Protocols and Guidelines
Mapping
Mapping Sensitive Natural Communities
Created by the CNPS Vegetation Program to support the development and standardization of sensitive natural community mapping in CA.
Mapping Sensitive Natural Communities
CDFW Survey of California Vegetation Standards
Created by the CDFW Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program to support plant community mapping in CA.
CDFW Classification Mapping
Alliance Level Mapping
A downloadable, blank geodatabase from California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife’s VegCAMP
Alliance Level Mapping
Rare Plants
Botanical Surveys
CNPS recommends that lead agencies not accept the results of surveys unless they are conducted and reported according to these guidelines.
CNPS Botanical Surveys
CDFW Survey Protocols
Field Survey Form
CNPS accepts data on rare plants in a number of formats. If conducting surveys as part of a Rare Plant Treasure Hunt, we prefer use of the RPTH form, otherwise please use the CNDDB form.
RPTH Field Survey Form
CNDDB Field Survey Form
Rare Plant Treasure Hunt
Instructions for participating citizen scientists, created by the California Native Plant Society.
Rare Plant Treasure Hunt
Vegetation rapid assessment and relevé protocols
Over time, the field methods used to collect vegetation data have been modified to reflect our changing knowledge of the systems involved. The links below provide the most recent sampling protocol and data forms used by the Vegetation Program.
- CNPS Vegetation Rapid Assessment Protocol (02/21/07, includes Desert CWHR)
- CNPS Vegetation Rapid Assessment Field Form (02/21/07, includes Desert CWHR)
- CNPS Relevé Protocol (8/23/07)
- CNPS Relevé Field Form (8/23/07)
Please note: If you are using these forms in the field, the CNPS Vegetation Program would greatly appreciate if you can send us copies of your completed forms. We’ll enter the data into our rapid assessment database, archive the information, and use it for future classification analyses. If requested, we can send you a hard copy database report summarizing the data you’ve provided.
Please send photocopies/scanned copies via post or email to:
Julie Evens, Vegetation Program Director
2707 K Street, Suite 1
Sacramento, CA 95816
E-mail: jevens@cnps.org
