AIM
Programs

AIM-Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring

The objective of the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy is to provide a standardized approach for measuring natural resource condition and trend on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands. The AIM Strategy provides quantitative data and tools to guide and justify policy actions, land uses, and adaptive management decisions.

AIM is:

•Structured implementation to guide monitoring program development, implementation, and management decisions.

•Standardized field methods to allow data comparisons throughout the BLM and in collaboration with BLM partners.

•Appropriate sample designs to minimize bias and maximize what can be learned from collected data.

•Data management and stewardship to ensure data quality, accessibility, and use.

•Integration with remote sensing to optimize sampling and calibrate continuous map products.

•Evidence-based decisions using standard workflows

BLM AIM website BLM AIM SharePoint AIM Video SharePoint (AIM Practitioners Website, Data access tutorials, methods training videos and more)

AIM Indicators Data Portal

This ArcGIS Online data viewer provides access to all terrestrial (upland) and stream and river (lotic) AIM indicators combined. Data are collected in accordance with the BLM Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) strategy and associated protocols. To view the related tables in addition to the calculated indicators, see the AIM Terrestrial Data Viewer and AIM Lotic Data Viewer.

AIM Lotic Data Viewer

This ArcGIS Online data viewer provides access to all lotic (stream and river) AIM data. The lotic AIM database houses all stream and river monitoring data collected by BLM districts and field offices using the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) core methods. It includes the National Lotic AIM Survey data which includes all lotic AIM monitoring data collected across BLM streams and rivers for national reporting.

AIM Terrestrial Data Viewer

This ArcGIS Online data viewer provides access to all terrestrial (upland) AIM data. TerrADat houses all terrestrial monitoring data collected by BLM districts and field offices using the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) core methods. The National AIM Survey aka LMF (Landscape Monitoring Framework) houses all terrestrial AIM monitoring data collected across BLM land for national reporting.

AIM Riparian and Wetland Data Viewer

This ArcGIS Online data viewer provides access to all riparian and wetland AIM data. The riparian and wetland AIM database houses all riparian and wetland monitoring data collected by BLM districts and field offices using the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) core methods. 

Rangelands Analysis Platform (RAP)

The Rangelands Analysis Platform (RAP) was developed to provide rangeland managers a simple and efficient tool to map and report on fractional vegetation cover across the western United States. Five functional groups are predicted for the growing season of every year from 1984 to present: shrubs, annual forb & grass, perennial forb & grass, trees, and bare ground.​ RAP also includes bi-weekly estimates of vegetation production.

Rangeland Condition, Monitoring, Assessment, and Projection (RCMAP)

The USGS Rangeland Condition, Monitoring, Assessment, and Projection (RCMAP) dataset reports fractional vegetation cover estimates and changes over time in Western U.S. shrublands. Nine shrubland ecosystem components, including percent shrub, sagebrush, herbaceous, annual herbaceous, litter, and bare ground cover, along with sagebrush and shrub heights, were quantified at 30-m resolution. The website includes a web viewer for visualizing data.

Landscape Cover Analysis and Reporting Tools (LandCART)

LandCART is an online mapping app for predicting fractional vegetation cover at 30-m resolution anywhere in the western contiguous United States for any time from 1984 to present. LandCART predicts 19 different AIM terrestrial core indicators including annual and perennial grass and forb cover, tree cover, and canopy gaps. Released February 16, 2022.​

 

BLM Public Data Hub AIM Page

The BLM Geospatial Business Platform (what we call "the Hub") is a public-facing website that hosts GIS data. It contains several different ways to easily access and use AIM data.

First is a fully interactive ArcGIS Web Map of AIM indicators from all three resources with several tools to query, export, print, and add in a user’s own data.  Second are open data standard web GIS services that allow users to access our data live time and even add to their own maps or apps.  These services can also be found in ArcGIS Online and in ArcGIS Pro by simply searching on the word AIM and are clearly visible with official Authoritative data tags. No downloading or URLs are required at all, which is extremely powerful.  Third, the public can download the full datasets as standalone files.  These downloadable files now even include all field data for Terrestrial and Lotic (Wetland coming soon) for the first time ever.

Sage-Grouse Habitat Assessment Framework (HAF) Rating, Status & Exploration Tool

Use this ArcGIS Dashboard to check on the status of assessments or determine where an assessment may need to be conducted.

Guide to Using AIM and LMF Data for Land Health Evaluations and Authorizations of Permitted Uses - Technical Note 453

This technical note serves as a guide for using AIM data, along with other available data, to complete evaluations of land health and related authorizations of permitted uses as required by BLM policy (43 CFR Subpart 4180).

Applying and Interpreting Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Data at the Field Office Level_Technical Note 455

This technical note serves as a companion to BLM Technical Note 453, "Guide to Using AIM and LMF Data in Land Health Evaluations and Authorizations of Permitted Uses," by providing an example of using AIM data, along with other available data, to answer management questions at the field office level.

Evaluation of Fractional Vegetation Cover Products_TN456

This technical note presents the analysis of three major products that estimate fractional vegetation cover: Landscape Cover Analysis and Reporting Tools (LandCART); Rangeland Condition, Monitoring, Assessment, and Projection (RCMAP); and Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP). The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the fractional vegetation cover data products for redundancy and appropriate use by natural resource programs for decision making.

BLM Guidelines for Implementing Greater Sage-grouse Habitat Objectives (supplement to WO IM 2018-25)

These guidelines supplement the BLM policy set forth in WO IM 2018-025 (effective until 9/30/2021). BLM state offices (SOs) must follow the steps described in the policy when evaluating, in an interdisciplinary setting, if there are data and science to use as alternatives to the indicators and/or values (desired conditions) found in the Habitat Objectives Table unless the applicable GRSG Plan outlines an alternative process.

IM 2018-21 Gunnison and Greater Sage-Grouse (including the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment) Habitat Assessment Policy

This IM provides program direction to BLM FOs on implementing the BLM Tech Ref 6710-1 plus clarification and additional guidance to follow when implementing the HAF to assess habitats for Gunnison and Greater Sage-Grouse, including the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment. This promotes consistency when completing habitat assessments across the range of sage-grouse. It includes guidance on roles and responsibilities, best practices for data management, and the content of a summary report.

BLM’S ASSESSMENT, INVENTORY, AND MONITORING STRATEGY

 

"AIM" for Efficiency in Rangeland Monitoring

This factsheet highlights how integration with the BLM Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) program can benefit rangeland monitoring. It focuses on two main benefits from AIM principles, protocols and methods: 1) consistent and defensible monitoring implementation; and 2) available data for evidence-based decision-making. It also highlights common misconceptions and corresponding facts about AIM.

 

AIM National Aquatic Monitoring Framework: Field Protocol for Wadeable Lotic Systems

The BLM developed the National Aquatic Monitoring Framework (Miller et al. 2015) to monitor the condition and trend of aquatic systems as part of the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy (Toevs et al. 2011). The protocol in this technical reference outlines standardized core and contingent field methodologies for wadeable lotic systems, as well as suggested covariates.

 

AIM Field Protocol for Lentic, Riparian and Wetland Systems

 

Monitoring Manual for Grassland, Shrubland, and Savanna Ecosystems Vol. 1 Core Methods

 

Monitoring Manual for Grassland, Shrubland, and Savanna Ecosystems Vol. 2 Design, Supplementary Methods, and Interpretation

 

DOI Information Security Rules of Behavior: For External Partners