The Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is the official inventory of public parks and other protected open space. PAD-US is published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), Gap Analysis Project (GAP). GAP produces data and tools that help meet critical national challenges such as biodiversity conservation, recreation, public health, climate change adaptation, and infrastructure investment. See the GAP webpage for more information about GAP and other GAP data including species and land cover.

PAD-US aggregates data for known protected areas whose primary purpose is biodiversity conservation, as well as lands and waters that provide public access to nature.  This content describes the PAD-US 3.0 dataset at https://doi.org/10.5066/P9Q9LQ4B, which is in the public domain.  It is intended for use with the PAD-US Explorer.  Users are obligated to follow the terms of use of the PAD-US Explorer and any accompanying content.

Key attribution includes:

• Category
• Owner Type
• Owner Name
• Local Owner
• Manager Type
• Manager Name
• Local Manager
• Designation Type
• Local Designation
• Unit Name
• Local Name
• Aggregator Source
• GIS Source
• GIS Source Date
• Public Access
• GAP Status Code - Status 1, 2, 3 or 4
• GAP Status Description
• Date of Establishment
• IUCN Category - International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Description - I: Strict Nature Reserve, II: National Park, III: Natural Monument or Feature, IV: Habitat/Species Management Area, V: Protected Landscape/Seascape, VI: Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources, Other conservation area, Unassigned

The Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) is the official inventory of public parks and other protected open space. PAD-US is published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), Gap Analysis Project (GAP). GAP produces data and tools that help meet critical national challenges such as biodiversity conservation, recreation, public health, climate change adaptation, and infrastructure investment. See the GAP webpage for more information about GAP and other GAP data including species and land cover.

PAD-US aggregates data for known protected areas whose primary purpose is biodiversity conservation, as well as lands and waters that provide public access to nature.  This content describes the PAD-US 3.0 dataset at https://doi.org/10.5066/P9Q9LQ4B, which is in the public domain.  It is intended for use with the PAD-US Explorer.  Users are obligated to follow the terms of use of the PAD-US Explorer and any accompanying content.

Key attribution includes:

• Category
• Owner Type
• Owner Name
• Local Owner
• Manager Type
• Manager Name
• Local Manager
• Designation Type
• Local Designation
• Unit Name
• Local Name
• Aggregator Source
• GIS Source
• GIS Source Date
• Public Access
• GAP Status Code - Status 1, 2, 3 or 4
• GAP Status Description
• Date of Establishment
• IUCN Category - International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Description - I: Strict Nature Reserve, II: National Park, III: Natural Monument or Feature, IV: Habitat/Species Management Area, V: Protected Landscape/Seascape, VI: Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources, Other conservation area, Unassigned