METHODOLOGY
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Past Projects map tracks information on completed projects funded through LWCF over the program’s history, to the greatest extent possible. These include fee and easement acquisitions by federal, state and local public agencies and state and local park development projects. The Future Projects map shows projects in need of funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Neither map includes data on leased lands, exchanges, or lands managed by contract.
At present, there are nearly 150,000 digital records that form the basis of the LWCF Past Projects map. These records and other data shown in the map are compiled from:
- Publicly available digital geographic records, tabular data and other information for six LWCF-funded programs provided by the Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and US Forest Service land acquisition programs; US Forest Service Forest Legacy Program; and USFWS Highlands Conservation Act program.
- Geo-location using other program information for three LWCF-funded programs where digital geographic records were not available (Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Program/Section 6, American Battlefield Protection Program and State and Local Assistance Program including Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program)
- Annual appropriations bills.
Various data sources have been combined to represent what appears on the LWCF Past Projects map.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Future Projects map shows projects submitted by federal agencies to Congress as part of the annual budget and appropriations process (often called “President’s budget lists”) as well as projects identified by state, local and non-profit partners. No digital records are used in the Future Projects map. Project locations and descriptions are based on information provided by federal agencies to Congress and by state, local, and non-profit partners.
CAVEATS/KNOWN ISSUES
- The data shown in the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Past Projects map do not represent an official federal agency report.
- The data shown in the Past Projects map represents the best currently available information and in some cases may be incomplete. Updates to this map and database will be made periodically to incorporate additional government information made available and new LWCF spending.
- The LWCF maps are for informational purposes only. The providers of these maps and reports disclaim any and all warranties, expressed or implied, including fitness for a particular purpose or merchantability, and make no representation that the maps and reports are complete, accurate, or error free. Use and reliance on these maps and reports is at the sole risk of the party using same.
- Project-specific funding amounts (in the Past Projects map) have been included in the respective map points when available from federal agency data. In cases where projects cross state, county, or district boundaries, individual funding amounts may be estimated.
- Some project funding amounts in the LWCF Past Projects map may be listed as “$0” in the map. In these cases, LWCF funding was used for a large acquisition that included these location points, but available data and accounting records allocate LWCF funding to other acquisitions/points in the purchase. In these cases, LWCF contributed to the acquisition of all parcels.
- Funding amounts for projects in the Future Projects map are based on information provided by federal agencies to Congress and from non-profit and state and local agencies seeking LWCF funding.
- Projects that receive LWCF funding will remain on the Future Projects map until the project is completed and the project data are received from the relevant federal agency, at which point they will be moved to the Past Projects map.
- The Past Projects database and map include funding information from the point each program began receiving LWCF funding to the present, with the following exceptions:
- American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP): 2011 through 2018 only
- Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Program (Section 6): Through 2019
- Due to the nature of project data from the US Forest Service and National Park Service, it is possible that LWCF was not the funding source for a very small number of projects.
- Due to the need to use geo-location tools to map LWCF projects in the following programs, a small number of projects may be incorrectly located:
- State and Local Assistance Program, including Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program
- Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (Section 6)
- American Battlefield Protection Program
If you see any information which is incorrect or missing, please contact us — this project will evolve over time and we appreciate your assistance!
UPDATE SCHEDULE
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Past Projects and Future Projects maps, project information, and databases will be updated annually.