Abstract

PALACIO-PRIETO, José Luis et al. Current situation of forest resources in Mexico: results of the 2000 National Forest Inventory. Invest. Geog [online]. 2000, n.43, pp.183-203. ISSN 2448-7279.

We describe the procedure and results of the land use and vegetation mapping at the national level (1:250 000 scale) as a first step of the Mexican National Forest Inventory 2000-2001. A geographic-ecologicaliy-sound approach has been followed. The project was sponsored by SEMARNAP (the Mexican ministry of the environment). We developed a classification scheme for the mapping of vegetation and land-use; linked to a nested multi-level legend, so that it could be correlated with and compared to other mapping efforts at the national scale. The legend is hierarchical and includes the nomenclature for 4 aggregation levels: 8 formations 17 vegetation types, 47 communities, 28 sub-communities giving a total of 75 categories. Results include 121 maps, 121 space-images and corresponding metadata and dictionary structures. Area data for forest and other :and covers were provided for the entire country, at state level, and at large watershed scale. Data are also presented in an ad hoc designed web page in the INTERNET. Major cover classes and percentage area resulted shrubs (30%), temperate forests (17%). grasslands (16%), and tropica (dry and wet) forests (16%). Partial mean producer accuracy, for six communities, using nearly 900 aerial photos, was 78%. Accuracy calculation will continue to assess all mapping units, The data produced by this project can be compared to previous data sets; thus, land-cover change in time is straightforward. In addition, the data can be used as input for biodiversity mapping estimation of environmental services crovided by forest communities and potential for wood harvesting.