Nation Forest Ownership Maps

[john300exc]

My state, Mississippi, has several National Forests that are a patchwork of private and federal lands. Is there anywhere to obtain downloadable maps for a GPS that will show private vs. federal land.
I have seen fee maps for western states, but not for Mississippi or adjacent states.
Thanks

[SmugWimp]

If you're planning on 'building' the map from other sources, the source I turn to first is usually the National Map:

http://nationalmap.gov/viewer.html

The map sources I used for my area (Guam) had the Military Bases outlined... Not sure if that is for everywhere; we're pretty small so it might not have been much effort.


But if you mean 'pre-made' maps I'm not sure. Check the maps on this website (http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/) or maybe OSM (http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_Map_On_Garmin/Download) has something finished you can use.

Cheers!

-- Smug

[maps4gps]

The BLM is organized by State offices in the west.  Each of these offices has created GIS files with surface land management data from the various Federal and State agencies.  The 37 central and eastern States are handled by their Eastern States Office and I have never found where they have any digital data available for download.

The Forest Service may have the data you are looking for.  Likely you will have to contact the GIS person for each forest and/or the regional FS office(s).  Then following the tutorials on this site, create an overlay/transparent mapset. 

[john300exc]

Thanks guys. I talked to a Forest Service employee who was familiar with mapping. He said no data exist in a format compatible with Garmin. He even admitted it would be useful to the Forest Service to have it available in a format for a Garmin type instrument. He said he would check into it and even gave me his phone number. I'll keep his number and bug him about it in another month or so.  I also gave him this website for reference.

[Seldom]

Thanks guys. I talked to a Forest Service employee who was familiar with mapping. He said no data exist in a format compatible with Garmin.

The data they have would likely be shapefiles.  If you followed the tutorials at the top of this page, you can make your own maps.

[maps4gps]

The FS GIS persons are likely trained in ESRI (ARCINFO, etc.) software.  To take ESRI shape files and create a Garmin compatable mapset would be more of an outside interest than part of their normal duties.  If they have shape files available, it is not that difficult to do (so say us who are past the learning curve).