The information presented here is based on the LANDFIRE National Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) Map. The term "vegetation departure" is used here rather than FRCC because it more accurately describes this measure of ecosystem condition. Vegetation departure describes the difference between current vegetation structure and composition (as mapped from satellite imagery and plot data) and pre-European settlement reference conditions (described and modeled using literature, local data and expert input). The metric is divided into three categories:
0-33% - Low Vegetation Departure
34-66% - Moderate Vegetation Departure
67-100% - High Vegetation Departure
Vegetation departure may be caused by various factors including altered fire regimes, invasive species, and/or land use practices that alter ecological communities, such as grazing and incompatible forestry practices.