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This data set shows forests of North America, classified according to FAO ecological zones (EZ). This dataset was created by modifying the updated version of the Terrestrial Ecological Regions of North America (published in 2021) data included in the North American Atlas.
North American Forest regions are defined as areas of broad yet relatively homogenous natural forest vegetation. Area distinctions are also based on precipitation, temperature, and landforms.
Terrestrial Ecoregions codes were converted to the FAO Ecological Zones classes based on a cross-walk table available in the “Global ecological zones for FAO forest reporting: 2010 update” (The table was created through deliberation by experts from Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America).
Data from Hawaii and Puerto Rico not available in the Terrestrial Ecoregions map were taken from the previous version of the CEC North American Forest Map and added to the final map. Areas marked as “no data” over the US Virgin Islands in the previous North American Forests map were removed. The Revillagigedo Islands in Mexico were classified based on their reported class in the 2021 Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America Map. Lakes larger than 2,000 km2 were added.
Some ecological zones (i.e. temperate steppe) contain limited or no forest; areas are considered forested when they have a 10 percent minimum crown cover. Orchards and other fruit tree plantations used for agricultural production are not classified as forest.
FAO Ecological Zones map was initially based on the spatial distribution of the CEC Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America. The current update responds to the recent changes in the geometry of the Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America published by CEC 2021.