Update on Federal Trails Schema
An interagency group has been working to create a Federal GIS Trail Schema based on the FGDC Federal Trail Data Standard. The schema is scheduled to be released by the end of 2023.
Exciting news! As many of you are aware, an interagency group has been working to create a Federal GIS Trail Schema based on the FGDC Federal Trail Data Standard. The schema is scheduled to be released by the end of 2023. More information about the schema and links for downloading can be found on the Federal Trail GIS Schema Working Group page.
The schema was originally developed to help standardize digital trail data from National Scenic and Historic Trails (see image below) that stretch across the entire country through various federal, state, and private lands with many different managers interpreting and collecting trail information in different ways. The group created a trail schema based on their original needs and modified the schema in response to public feedback. Although not a requirement, adoption of a common schema will allow trail agencies and organizations to better share and understand public domain trail data.
We have a special interest in the common schema because it will allow us to more efficiently aggregate trail data into the USGS nationwide trails dataset.
