Montana Land Cover Framework
MSDI
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| Data Provider
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Montana Natural Heritage Program
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| Date
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09/18/2025
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| Content Type
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Downloadable Data
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| Abstract
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This statewide land cover theme is a digital raster map of existing natural vegetation communities as described at the Group level under the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system, disturbances (e.g. wildland fire, introduced vegetation, and insect-killed or harvested forest), human land use activities (e.g. agriculture, developed, resource extraction, and transportation), and larger bodies of water for Montana. The base map is adapted from a NatureServe version of existing vegetation communities mapped as NVC Groups derived from the Landfire 2022 Update for Existing Vegetation Type National Vegetation Classification (EVTNVC), which used 30-meter resolution Landsat multi-spectral imagery that represented circa 2016 ground conditions. Landfire’s EVTNVC mapping was developed using decision tree models, field data, Landsat imagery, elevation, and biophysical gradient data. Detailed metadata for EVTNVC can be found at https://www.landfire.gov/evt.php. Initial Data Sources and Processing Steps for Montana Land Cover 2025: NatureServe’s EVT raster was clipped to the boundary of Montana and projected from NAD 1983 Albers (meters) to NAD 1983-2011 State Plane Montana FIPS 2500 (meters). Non-EVT classes were modified using state-specific datasets such as: 2023 Montana Department of Revenue Final Land Unit (FLU) classification of private agricultural land; Montana Statewide Irrigation Dataset 2018-2021; 2024 MSDI Transportation Framework; Landfire 2023 Historical Disturbance; and U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database. Additional updates included wetlands from the 2023 Montana Wetland and Riparian Framework and reassignment of certain EVT classes where there was disagreement with the expected species’ range descriptions in the Montana Field Guide. For a detailed description see data processing steps; the Lineage section of this document provides additional details.
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| Purpose
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Montana Land Cover is a 30-meter by 30-meter pixel resolution raster product of existing natural vegetation communities as described at the Group level under the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system, disturbances, human land use, and larger bodies of water. The NVC Groups portion of the land cover layer are assigned global and subnational/state conservation status ranks by NatureServe and the Montana Natural Heritage Program, respectively, based on the rarity of, trends in, and threats to the vegetation community and these ranks can be used to prioritize conservation efforts and funding. The layer is suitable for general information purposes to inform broad landscape-scale planning processes, but has known limitations and may not be appropriate for fine-scale analyses and applications at the local landscape-scale.
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| Supplemental Information
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Use of this dataset is not recommended for fine-scale analyses (less than 1:50,000). Disturbances (fires, timber harvest, insect/disease) only cover the years 2014 to 2023 (i.e., disturbed areas predating 2014 are mapped as their non-disturbed Group). Users interested in wetland and riparian mapping should use the Montana Wetland and Riparian Framework instead of this product.
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| Distributor
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Montana State Library
PO BOX 201800
1201 11th Ave
Helena,
MT
59620-1800
Telephone:
1-406-444-5354
TDD/TTY:
1-Montana Relay 711
Fax:
1-406-444-0266
Email:
geoinfo@mt.gov
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| Distribution liability
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The Montana State Library Geographic Information Services provides this product/service for informational purposes only. The Library did not produce it for, nor is it suitable for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes. Consumers of this information should review or consult the primary data and information sources to ascertain the viability of the information for their purposes. The Library provides these data in good faith but does not represent or warrant its accuracy, adequacy, or completeness. In no event shall the Library be liable for any incorrect results or analysis; any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages to any party; or any lost profits arising out of or in connection with the use or the inability to use the data or the services provided. The Library makes these data and services available as a convenience to the public, and for no other purpose. The Library reserves the right to change or revise published data and/or services at any time.
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