Land Status Record System Data

Dated February 5, 2013

The LSRS data is a collection of data themes that depict the land status (title and related rights and uses) and boundary management of National Forest System (NFS) lands. These datasets reside in the Forest Service authoritative LSRS system and are derived from the LSRS Production (transaction) geodatabase.  These datasets are maintained by regional data stewards and are updated on a regular basis due to land management activities.

File Geodatabase Format

Shapefile Format

Administrative Forest Boundaries - An area encompassing all the National Forest System lands administered by an unit. The area encompasses private lands, other governmental agency lands, and may contain National Forest System lands within the proclaimed boundaries of another administrative unit. All National Forest System lands fall within one and only one Administrative Forest Area.

Administrative Region - An area encompassing all the National Forest System lands administered by a Region. The area encompasses private lands, other governmental agency lands. All National Forest System lands fall within one and only one Administrative Region Area.

Basic Ownership - An area depicted as surface ownership parcels dissolved on the same ownership classification.

Land Utilization Project - A unit designated by the Secretary of Agriculture for conservation and utilization under Title III of The Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act.

National Grassland - A National Grassland unit designated by the Secretary of Agriculture and permanently held by the Department of Agriculture under Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act.

NFS Land Unit - An NFS Land Unit is nationally significant classification of Federally owned forest, range, and related lands that are administered by the USDA Forest Service or designated for administration through the Forest Service. NFS Land Unit types include proclaimed national forest, purchase unit, national grassland, land utilization project, research and experimental area, national preserve, and other land area. Each NFS Land Unit is identified by a National Forest Fiscal Identifier (NFFID) code, a unique 4-digit number that is used for accounting purposes.

Other National Designated Area - An area depicting National Forest System land parcels that have management or use limits placed on them by legal authority. Examples are: National Recreation Area, National Monument, and National Game Refuge.

Other National Designated Area Status - The legal status of the area depicting National Forest System land parcels that have management or use limits placed on them by legal authority above the Agency level (e.g. Congress and/or President).

Proclaimed Forest - A depiction of the boundaries encompassing the National Forest System (NFS) lands within the original proclaimed National Forests, along with subsequent Executive Orders, Proclamations, Public Laws, Public Land Orders, Secretary of Agriculture Orders, and Secretary of Interior Orders creating modifications thereto, along with lands added to the NFS which have taken on the status of 'reserved from the public domain' under the General Exchange Act. The following area types are included: National Forest, Experimental Area, Experimental Forest, Experimental Range, Land Utilization Project, National Grassland, Purchase Unit, and Special Management Area.

Purchase Unit - A unit designated by the Secretary of Agriculture or previously approved by the National Forest Reservation Commission for purposes of Weeks Law acquisition.

Ranger District - A depiction of the boundary that encompasses a Ranger District.

Section - An area defined by the Public Lands Survey System Grid. Normally, 36 sections make up a township. Section - An area defined by the Public Lands Survey System Grid. Normally, 36 sections make up a township.

Special Status Area - A land area that has distinct management/use authorities or agreements for Forest Service action. Includes: Cost Share Agreement Areas, Exchange Authority Areas, Land Adjustment Plan Areas, Forest Reserves, and Secretary's Order Areas.

Surface Ownership - An area depicting ownership parcels of the surface estate. Each surface ownership parcel is tied to a particular legal transaction. The same individual or organization may currently own many parcels that may or may not have been acquired through the same legal transaction. Therefore, they are captured as separate entities rather than merged together. This is in contrast to Basic Ownership, in which the surface ownership parcels having the same owner are merged together. Basic Ownership provides the general user with the Forest Service versus non-Forest Service view of land ownership within National Forest boundaries. Surface Ownership provides the land status user with a current snapshot of ownership within National Forest boundaries.

Township - An area defined by the Public Lands Survey System grid that is referenced by its tier and range numbers, and is normally a rectangle approximately 6 miles on a side with boundaries conforming to meridians and parallels.

Tract - A depiction of a survey parcel described by a metes and bounds description. Examples include: land lots, housing subdivision lots, mineral surveys, and homestead entry surveys.

Wild Scenic River - A depiction of areas designated as Wild and Scenic Rivers.

Wild Scenic River Status - The Land Status view of a Wild and Scenic River.

Wilderness - A parcel of Forest Service land congressionally designated as wilderness such as National Wilderness Area.

Wilderness Status - The Land Status view of National Forest System land parcels that have legal descriptions such as National Wilderness Area, Primitive Area, or Wilderness Study Area.