All FRCC calculations were done in ArcGIS 9.3.1 with the FRCC Mapping Tool version 2.2.0, using Landfire Biophysical Settings (BpS) and Succession Class (S-Class) layers and the default Landfire Reference Condition table (LFnat_west). All calculations were performed at a 30-meter resolution. Input BpS and S-Class layers were downloaded using the Landfire Data Access Tool version 2.2 (configuration database version 1.27, feature database version 1.02).
Three landscape levels were used in all calculations, the 4th, 5th and 6th field HUCs from the "Pacific NW Sixth Field Hucs" GIS layer from Bonneville Power Administration (Subbasins, Watersheds and Subwatersheds, resp.).
FRCC Calculation Procedure
For each of the sixteen National Forests and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, the administrative boundary of the forest/scenic area was overlaid on the regional layer of 4th-field HUCs (Subbasins). Using the Landfire Data Access Tool, BpS and S-Class data were downloaded using an extent that encompassed all Subbasins that overlapped the administrative boundary of the forest/scenic area.
The BpS and S-Class layers were unpacked and projected to the Forest Service's Region 6 Albers projection using the Landfire "Smart Assembler" tool. The regional grid of 4th, 5th and 6th-field HUCs was then clipped to the extent of the BpS grid and used as the input Landscape Levels grid in the FRCC Mapping Tool (Level 1 = Subwatersheds, Level 2 = Watersheds, Level 3 = Subbasins). For each forest/scenic area, the default Reference Condition Table (LFnat_west) was used, and Landscape and Stratum Scale output grids were computed. Finally, the output Landscape and Stratum FRCC grids were clipped to the forest/scenic area boundary.
