Creating an Ownership Map (Abbreviated Instructions for the Advanced User)

by Cliff Merriman and Debbie Kaiser
October 2009

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Creating an Ownership Map (Abbreviated Instructions for the Advanced User (PDF; 129 KB)

There are many ways to show ownership on a map. These set of instructions describe one method. The map is simple, meets the intended use and provides for consistency state-wide. It is not required, but recommended.

Step 1: Open a County template or start with a blank Toolkit GIS template.

Step 2: If needed, add the plss layer and ownership layers for the desired county.

Step 3: Create the symbology for the Ownership layer using “categories”, “unique values”. Select Ownclass. Click the “add all values” button; this will populate the value field pane with all values in that field.

Select the values that do not need to be represented in the map (i.e. right of way, undetermined and water) and use the “remove” button. Make sure the box next to “(all other values)” has been unchecked. Once proper values have been selected, click OK.

In the data frame TOC, left-click on each values symbol to bring up the symbol selector. Each value should use the color that legally describes each ownership (i.e. State = Blue, BLM = Yellow or Sun, BLM (LU) = Rose, Local Government = Grey & Private = Black Outline with White Fill Color). Or, use the MT_Ownership Style sheet to match to style.

Step 4: Set the symbology for the plss layer. Any color will work; however, a red outline is most widely used. Once step 3 and 4 are completed the map should look like this:

Step 5: Add or create the desired cons plan for the producer. If desired, turn off practice layers. (It is recommended to show practices if practices will be installed in or across non-private land.)

Step 6. Create a Tract boundary layer using the tract boundaries option under the “New Toolkit Layer” (Hardee star icon). The Consplan can be turned off now to simplify the map.

Step 7: Use the Toolkit Map Labels tool to label the tracts and ownership. This chart shows the options for labeling ownership by column:

Highlight and delete all duplicate labels. Edit labels as needed (i.e. in this example, the owner name was added to Private, and State Government was renamed.) Once this is done the map should look like this:

Step 8: Click on the Map Products Button. Select the features to be displayed then click OK. Once all features have been selected do not use the Map Products Button again. Use the Map & World Buttons at the bottom right. If Map Products Button is used all the setting will have to be reset. If desired, add an inset to show actual location in the county. (See MT Tip – Creating Inset Maps.)

Step 9: Go to File, Export and export the map to a pdf document. Make sure resolution is “medium”. Open the pdf to insure the map has been created successfully and then print from the open pdf document. This is much faster than printing from the map layout screen.

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Last Modified: 10/15/2009