The indicator uses areas identified as grasslands using LANDFIRE�s Biophysical Settings (BpS) raster dataset (US_140BPS_20180618) along with a cross-walk based on Reeves MC, Mitchell JE (2011) Extent of coterminous US rangelands: quantifying implications of differing agency perspectives. Rangel Ecol Manage 64:1�12 to identify BpS units that are likely to be grasslands during pre-European times. Presence of conifer tree species was developed using USGS National Landcover Database 2011 (NLCD) legend class �42 � Evergreen Forest�. The Evergreen forest class represents �areas dominated by trees generally greater than 5 meters tall, and greater than 20% of total vegetation cover. More than 75% of the tree species maintain their leaves all year. Canopy is never without green foliage.���Grassland conifer encroachment is identified where raster pixels are identified as both �grasslands� and NLCD �Evergreen Forest�