The Circumboreal Vegetation Mapping (CBVM) group is a group of vegetation scientists within the Arctic Council’s CAFF Program devoted to mapping the vegetation of the entire circumboreal region. The aim of the CBVM project is to produce a vegetation map with geobotanical database and derived products for the entire boreal biome using a unified, international method for classifying and mapping boreal vegetation. In the proposed workshop we will focus on the Northwest Boreal LCC to unite it hierarchically with a vegetation map covering boreal North America and Eurasia. Our map of the Alaska boreal is currently being prepared for completion in December 2013. We will develop a process to integrate the Canadian portion of the Northwest Boreal LCC with Alaska. Our proximal goal is to: 1) convene a 3–5 day vegetation mapping workshop in Anchorage for September 2013; 2) finalize the legend of a unified map of Alaska and western Canada; 3) refine a boreal mapping approach that (a) integrates the Alaska and western Canadian regions, and (b) harmonizes the mapping concepts of Canada, Russian Federation, and the United States; 4) develop a classification of boreal vegetation at the Alliance level for the region. We will collaboratively address this task with CBVM representatives from Alaska (5 members), Canada (6), and the Russian Federation (2).
