Abstract: Land Type Associations (LTAs) are areas in the tens of thousands of acres that share similar bedrock types, topographic roughness, soil parent material, depth to groundwater, and other abiotic factors. LTAs are often used for determining potential management options, understanding the landscape context, and assessing cumulative impacts of management on similar ecosystems.
While LTAs have been delineated and mapped for the Hiawatha National Forest (HNF), no descriptions had been developed. To complete the descriptions, the HNF and TNC analyzed available datasets including soil, geology, pre-settlement, and current inventory maps.
Additionally, to map potential natural vegetation (biophysical settings, BPS), fire characteristics, and departure from reference conditions, the team used LANDFIRE data. The data are uniquely appropriate - they cover all ownerships, are consistently developed, and supply datasets not typically available, such as Mean Fire Return Interval.