California Protected Areas Database

Cloud-optimized, hex-indexed versions of CPAD (v2025b)

Product Details

Visibility: Public
Owner: Carl Boettiger
Created: 3 Jan 2026
Last Updated: 3 Jan 2026

Product Contents

root

Product Details

Product Contents

California Protected Areas Database

Cloud-optimized, hex-indexed versions of CPAD (v2025b)

Product Details

Visibility: Public
Owner: Carl Boettiger
Created: 3 Jan 2026
Last Updated: 3 Jan 2026

Product Contents

root

README

CPAD & CCED 2025b: California Protected Areas and Conservation Easements

Overview

This dataset provides comprehensive spatial data on California's protected lands and conservation easements in three cloud-optimized formats. The data consists of two complementary databases:

CPAD (California Protected Areas Database) 2025b: Inventories over 50 million acres across 16,000+ parks and protected areas owned by 1,200+ public agencies and nonprofits
CCED (California Conservation Easement Database) 2025b: Inventories 3+ million acres across 3,800+ conservation easements held by 180+ agencies and nonprofits

Data Formats & Access

All data is publicly available via the National Research Platform S3 bucket:

Base URL: https://s3-west.nrp-nautilus.io/public-cpad/

1. Cloud-Optimized GeoParquet

Parquet files with spatial geometries, optimized for cloud-native queries:

CPAD Holdings (parcel-level detail): cpad-2025b-holdings.parquet (72 MB)
CPAD Units (named holdings within counties): cpad-2025b-units.parquet (53 MB)
CCED Easements: cced-2025b.parquet (18 MB)

2. PMTiles

Vector tile format for efficient web mapping with progressive loading:

CPAD Holdings: cpad-2025b-holdings.pmtiles (170 MB)
- Layer name: cpad-2025b-holdings
CPAD Units: cpad-2025b-units.pmtiles (85 MB)
- Layer name: cpad-2025b-units
CCED Easements: cced-2025b.pmtiles (27 MB)
- Layer name: cced-2025b

3. H3 Hexagonal Tilings

Hierarchical hexagonal grid at resolution 10 (~15,000 m² per hex), partitioned by H3 resolution 0 (h0) cell:

CPAD Holdings: cpad-2025b-holdings/hex/h0={cell}/data_0.parquet
CPAD Units: cpad-2025b-units/hex/h0={cell}/data_0.parquet
CCED Easements: cced-2025b/hex/h0={cell}/data_0.parquet

H3 hexes include parent resolutions 0, 8, and 9 for hierarchical aggregation.

Database Structure

CPAD Geographic Levels

CPAD provides three levels of spatial aggregation:

HOLDINGS: Individual parcels of protected land - most detailed level for analysis
UNITS: Aggregations of holdings with common name, access level, and managing agency within each county
SUPER UNITS: Dissolved aggregations across county boundaries by park name and managing agency - useful for recreation and cartography

Key Field Descriptions

CPAD Holdings Core Fields

Field	Description
`HOLDING_ID`	Unique identifier for each parcel
`UNIT_ID`	ID linking to parent unit
`SUID_NMA`	Super unit ID
`UNIT_NAME`	Name of the park/unit
`AGNCY_NAME`	Full name of owning agency
`AGNCY_LEV`	Jurisdiction level: City, County, Special District, Joint, State, Federal, Non Profit, Private
`AGNCY_TYP`	Detailed agency type (e.g., State Agency, Non Profit - Land Trust, Recreation/Parks District)
`MNG_AGNCY`	Managing agency if different from owner
`ACCESS_TYP`	Public access level: Open Access, Restricted, No Public Access
`LAND_WATER`	Whether holding is land or water
`COUNTY`	County containing the holding

GAP Status Codes

Conservation status based on USGS GAP Analysis Program:

Field	Description
`GAP1_acres`	Acres managed for biodiversity where disturbance events proceed or are mimicked
`GAP2_acres`	Acres managed for biodiversity where disturbance events are suppressed
`GAP3_acres`	Acres managed for multiple uses including extraction (mining, logging) or OHV use
`GAP4_acres`	Acres with no known mandate for protection
`GAP_tot_ac`	Sum of all GAP acres
`GAP_Source`	Source of GAP data: USGS PAD-US, CDPR, or managing agency

CPAD Units Fields

Units have fewer attributes than holdings, primarily used for sub-county analysis:

Same core fields as holdings: UNIT_ID, UNIT_NAME, SUID_NMA, access, agency fields
Aggregated statistics: ACRES, GAP acres by category
No parcel-level details (no LAND_WATER, SITE_NAME, SPEC_USE)

CPAD Super Units Fields

Super Units are the most generalized representation:

Field	Description
`SUID_NMA`	Unique super unit ID
`PARK_NAME`	Name of the park
`MNG_AGENCY`	Managing agency name
`MNG_AG_LEV`	Managing agency jurisdiction level
`MNG_AG_TYP`	Detailed managing agency type
`ACCESS_TYP`	Public access level
`ACRES`	Total acreage
`YR_EST`	Year established
GAP acres by category

CCED Easement Fields

Field	Description
`e_hold_id`	Unique easement record ID
`sitename`	Site name as reported by agency
`ease_label`	Generic label "Conservation Easement" for mapping
`esmthldr`	Primary easement holder agency name
`eholdtyp`	Holder type: federal, state, local, NGO, other
`s_emthd1`	Any additional easement holders
`e_type`	Main purpose of easement (under development)
`pubaccess`	Access status: closed, restricted, or open (almost all are closed)
`duration`	Permanent or term-limited (if 10+ years)
`term`	Numeric term length if applicable
`date_est`	Full date established (MM/DD/YYYY)
`year_est`

Important: CCED lands are predominantly Closed to public access. Conservation easements are on primarily private lands with legal restrictions on development.

Key Data Characteristics

CPAD Protected Status

Lands in CPAD have fee title ownership dedicated to open space purposes:

Habitat Conservation: Wildlife or plant reserves
Recreation: Parks, trails, beaches
Forestry: Active forest management
Agriculture/Ranching: Crop lands and grazing lands
Water Supply: Watersheds and waterways
Flood Control: Natural flood control areas
Scenic Areas: Viewscape protection

CCED Conservation Purposes

Easements restrict future land uses to preserve:

Habitat conservation
General open space
Historical/cultural sites
Forestry, agriculture, ranching
Water supply and watersheds
Scenic viewscapes
Flood control

Ownership vs Management

CPAD: Tracks by owning agency; if managed by different agency, both are recorded
CCED: Tracks by managing agency (easement holder); land ownership not included

Access Levels

Open Access: Open to public for agency-designated use (no guarantee of specific activities)
Restricted Access: Requires permits or has limited hours/seasons
No Public Access: Not open to the public

Always consult managing agencies for current access information and allowed activities.

Land and Water

CPAD holdings distinguish land vs water areas (tidal zones, coastal areas, lakes/reservoirs). Water boundaries use National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and aerial imagery. Small water bodies (<10 acres) and streams are excluded.

Example SQL Queries with DuckDB

Query 1: Find Total Protected Acres by County at Each GAP Level

Query 2: Identify Open Access State Parks in Hex Cells

Query 3: Compare Protected Areas vs Conservation Easements by County

Query 4: Find H3 Hexagons with High Biodiversity Protection (GAP 1 & 2)

Data Quality Notes

CPAD

Aligned to assessor parcel boundaries in developed areas; rural areas may use PLSS boundaries
Water boundaries from NHD; some Bay Area tidal zones refined
Not all holdings have GAP status codes
Best used at scales above 1:24,000

CCED

Easement boundaries often NOT aligned to parcels (digitized independently or from agency data)
Easements may cover entire parcels or portions
Some stacked/overlapping polygons exist where multiple easement holders or funding sources apply
Use caution when calculating total acreage statistics
Not all small local/city easements are captured
No land/water distinction

Data Sources & Attribution

CPAD: Developed by GreenInfo Network with support from California Natural Resources Agency
CCED: Developed by GreenInfo Network with funding from California Strategic Growth Council, USGS Gap Analysis Program, California Natural Resources Agency, and Department of Water Resources
Release: Version 2025b (December 2025)
Documentation: Full manuals available at CALands.org

License & Usage

Both CPAD and CCED are public records data. These datasets are suitable for planning, assessment, analysis, and display. Not for official regulatory or legal actions - those require official land records from county recorders or managing agencies.

For errors or corrections: cpad@CALands.org

This dataset represents California's comprehensive conservation landscape, enabling analysis of biodiversity protection, recreation access, land management patterns, and conservation planning at multiple spatial scales.

README

CPAD & CCED 2025b: California Protected Areas and Conservation Easements

Overview

This dataset provides comprehensive spatial data on California's protected lands and conservation easements in three cloud-optimized formats. The data consists of two complementary databases:

CPAD (California Protected Areas Database) 2025b: Inventories over 50 million acres across 16,000+ parks and protected areas owned by 1,200+ public agencies and nonprofits
CCED (California Conservation Easement Database) 2025b: Inventories 3+ million acres across 3,800+ conservation easements held by 180+ agencies and nonprofits

Data Formats & Access

All data is publicly available via the National Research Platform S3 bucket:

Base URL: https://s3-west.nrp-nautilus.io/public-cpad/

1. Cloud-Optimized GeoParquet

Parquet files with spatial geometries, optimized for cloud-native queries:

CPAD Holdings (parcel-level detail): cpad-2025b-holdings.parquet (72 MB)
CPAD Units (named holdings within counties): cpad-2025b-units.parquet (53 MB)
CCED Easements: cced-2025b.parquet (18 MB)

2. PMTiles

Vector tile format for efficient web mapping with progressive loading:

CPAD Holdings: cpad-2025b-holdings.pmtiles (170 MB)
- Layer name: cpad-2025b-holdings
CPAD Units: cpad-2025b-units.pmtiles (85 MB)
- Layer name: cpad-2025b-units
CCED Easements: cced-2025b.pmtiles (27 MB)
- Layer name: cced-2025b

3. H3 Hexagonal Tilings

Hierarchical hexagonal grid at resolution 10 (~15,000 m² per hex), partitioned by H3 resolution 0 (h0) cell:

CPAD Holdings: cpad-2025b-holdings/hex/h0={cell}/data_0.parquet
CPAD Units: cpad-2025b-units/hex/h0={cell}/data_0.parquet
CCED Easements: cced-2025b/hex/h0={cell}/data_0.parquet

H3 hexes include parent resolutions 0, 8, and 9 for hierarchical aggregation.

Database Structure

CPAD Geographic Levels

CPAD provides three levels of spatial aggregation:

HOLDINGS: Individual parcels of protected land - most detailed level for analysis
UNITS: Aggregations of holdings with common name, access level, and managing agency within each county
SUPER UNITS: Dissolved aggregations across county boundaries by park name and managing agency - useful for recreation and cartography

Key Field Descriptions

CPAD Holdings Core Fields

Field	Description
`HOLDING_ID`	Unique identifier for each parcel
`UNIT_ID`	ID linking to parent unit
`SUID_NMA`	Super unit ID
`UNIT_NAME`	Name of the park/unit
`AGNCY_NAME`	Full name of owning agency
`AGNCY_LEV`	Jurisdiction level: City, County, Special District, Joint, State, Federal, Non Profit, Private
`AGNCY_TYP`	Detailed agency type (e.g., State Agency, Non Profit - Land Trust, Recreation/Parks District)
`MNG_AGNCY`	Managing agency if different from owner
`ACCESS_TYP`	Public access level: Open Access, Restricted, No Public Access
`LAND_WATER`	Whether holding is land or water
`COUNTY`	County containing the holding

GAP Status Codes

Conservation status based on USGS GAP Analysis Program:

Field	Description
`GAP1_acres`	Acres managed for biodiversity where disturbance events proceed or are mimicked
`GAP2_acres`	Acres managed for biodiversity where disturbance events are suppressed
`GAP3_acres`	Acres managed for multiple uses including extraction (mining, logging) or OHV use
`GAP4_acres`	Acres with no known mandate for protection
`GAP_tot_ac`	Sum of all GAP acres
`GAP_Source`	Source of GAP data: USGS PAD-US, CDPR, or managing agency

CPAD Units Fields

Units have fewer attributes than holdings, primarily used for sub-county analysis:

Same core fields as holdings: UNIT_ID, UNIT_NAME, SUID_NMA, access, agency fields
Aggregated statistics: ACRES, GAP acres by category
No parcel-level details (no LAND_WATER, SITE_NAME, SPEC_USE)

CPAD Super Units Fields

Super Units are the most generalized representation:

Field	Description
`SUID_NMA`	Unique super unit ID
`PARK_NAME`	Name of the park
`MNG_AGENCY`	Managing agency name
`MNG_AG_LEV`	Managing agency jurisdiction level
`MNG_AG_TYP`	Detailed managing agency type
`ACCESS_TYP`	Public access level
`ACRES`	Total acreage
`YR_EST`	Year established
GAP acres by category

CCED Easement Fields

Field	Description
`e_hold_id`	Unique easement record ID
`sitename`	Site name as reported by agency
`ease_label`	Generic label "Conservation Easement" for mapping
`esmthldr`	Primary easement holder agency name
`eholdtyp`	Holder type: federal, state, local, NGO, other
`s_emthd1`	Any additional easement holders
`e_type`	Main purpose of easement (under development)
`pubaccess`	Access status: closed, restricted, or open (almost all are closed)
`duration`	Permanent or term-limited (if 10+ years)
`term`	Numeric term length if applicable
`date_est`	Full date established (MM/DD/YYYY)
`year_est`

Important: CCED lands are predominantly Closed to public access. Conservation easements are on primarily private lands with legal restrictions on development.

Key Data Characteristics

CPAD Protected Status

Lands in CPAD have fee title ownership dedicated to open space purposes:

Habitat Conservation: Wildlife or plant reserves
Recreation: Parks, trails, beaches
Forestry: Active forest management
Agriculture/Ranching: Crop lands and grazing lands
Water Supply: Watersheds and waterways
Flood Control: Natural flood control areas
Scenic Areas: Viewscape protection

CCED Conservation Purposes

Easements restrict future land uses to preserve:

Habitat conservation
General open space
Historical/cultural sites
Forestry, agriculture, ranching
Water supply and watersheds
Scenic viewscapes
Flood control

Ownership vs Management

CPAD: Tracks by owning agency; if managed by different agency, both are recorded
CCED: Tracks by managing agency (easement holder); land ownership not included

Access Levels

Open Access: Open to public for agency-designated use (no guarantee of specific activities)
Restricted Access: Requires permits or has limited hours/seasons
No Public Access: Not open to the public

Always consult managing agencies for current access information and allowed activities.

Land and Water

Example SQL Queries with DuckDB

Query 1: Find Total Protected Acres by County at Each GAP Level

Query 2: Identify Open Access State Parks in Hex Cells

Query 3: Compare Protected Areas vs Conservation Easements by County

Query 4: Find H3 Hexagons with High Biodiversity Protection (GAP 1 & 2)

Data Quality Notes

CPAD

Aligned to assessor parcel boundaries in developed areas; rural areas may use PLSS boundaries
Water boundaries from NHD; some Bay Area tidal zones refined
Not all holdings have GAP status codes
Best used at scales above 1:24,000

CCED

Easement boundaries often NOT aligned to parcels (digitized independently or from agency data)
Easements may cover entire parcels or portions
Some stacked/overlapping polygons exist where multiple easement holders or funding sources apply
Use caution when calculating total acreage statistics
Not all small local/city easements are captured
No land/water distinction

Data Sources & Attribution

CPAD: Developed by GreenInfo Network with support from California Natural Resources Agency
CCED: Developed by GreenInfo Network with funding from California Strategic Growth Council, USGS Gap Analysis Program, California Natural Resources Agency, and Department of Water Resources
Release: Version 2025b (December 2025)
Documentation: Full manuals available at CALands.org

License & Usage

For errors or corrections: cpad@CALands.org

1SELECT 
2    county,
3    SUM(GAP1_acres) as gap1_acres,
4    SUM(GAP2_acres) as gap2_acres,
5    SUM(GAP3_acres) as gap3_acres,
6    SUM(GAP4_acres) as gap4_acres,
7    SUM(acres) as total_acres
8FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cpad-2025b-holdings/hex/*/*.parquet', 
9                   hive_partitioning=1)
10WHERE county IS NOT NULL
11GROUP BY county
12ORDER BY total_acres DESC;

1SELECT 
2    county,
3    SUM(GAP1_acres) as gap1_acres,
4    SUM(GAP2_acres) as gap2_acres,
5    SUM(GAP3_acres) as gap3_acres,
6    SUM(GAP4_acres) as gap4_acres,
7    SUM(acres) as total_acres
8FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cpad-2025b-holdings/hex/*/*.parquet', 
9                   hive_partitioning=1)
10WHERE county IS NOT NULL
11GROUP BY county
12ORDER BY total_acres DESC;

1SELECT 
2    h3_10,
3    county,
4    unit_name,
5    agncy_name,
6    acres,
7    gap1_acres,
8    gap2_acres
9FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cpad-2025b-units/hex/*/*.parquet',
10                   hive_partitioning=1)
11WHERE access_typ = 'Open Access'
12  AND agncy_lev = 'State'
13  AND agncy_typ = 'State Agency'
14  AND unit_name NOT LIKE 'Unnamed%'
15ORDER BY acres DESC
16LIMIT 100;

1SELECT 
2    h3_10,
3    county,
4    unit_name,
5    agncy_name,
6    acres,
7    gap1_acres,
8    gap2_acres
9FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cpad-2025b-units/hex/*/*.parquet',
10                   hive_partitioning=1)
11WHERE access_typ = 'Open Access'
12  AND agncy_lev = 'State'
13  AND agncy_typ = 'State Agency'
14  AND unit_name NOT LIKE 'Unnamed%'
15ORDER BY acres DESC
16LIMIT 100;

1WITH protected AS (
2    SELECT county, SUM(acres) as protected_acres
3    FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cpad-2025b-holdings/hex/*/*.parquet',
4                       hive_partitioning=1)
5    GROUP BY county
6),
7easements AS (
8    SELECT county, SUM(gis_acres) as easement_acres
9    FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cced-2025b/hex/*/*.parquet',
10                       hive_partitioning=1)
11    GROUP BY county
12)
13SELECT 
14    COALESCE(p.county, e.county) as county,
15    COALESCE(protected_acres, 0) as protected_acres,
16    COALESCE(easement_acres, 0) as easement_acres,
17    COALESCE(protected_acres, 0) + COALESCE(easement_acres, 0) as total_conserved
18FROM protected p
19FULL OUTER JOIN easements e ON p.county = e.county
20ORDER BY total_conserved DESC;

1WITH protected AS (
2    SELECT county, SUM(acres) as protected_acres
3    FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cpad-2025b-holdings/hex/*/*.parquet',
4                       hive_partitioning=1)
5    GROUP BY county
6),
7easements AS (
8    SELECT county, SUM(gis_acres) as easement_acres
9    FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cced-2025b/hex/*/*.parquet',
10                       hive_partitioning=1)
11    GROUP BY county
12)
13SELECT 
14    COALESCE(p.county, e.county) as county,
15    COALESCE(protected_acres, 0) as protected_acres,
16    COALESCE(easement_acres, 0) as easement_acres,
17    COALESCE(protected_acres, 0) + COALESCE(easement_acres, 0) as total_conserved
18FROM protected p
19FULL OUTER JOIN easements e ON p.county = e.county
20ORDER BY total_conserved DESC;

1SELECT 
2    h3_10,
3    h3_0,
4    COUNT(*) as num_holdings,
5    SUM(gap1_acres + gap2_acres) as high_protection_acres,
6    SUM(acres) as total_hex_acres,
7    SUM(gap1_acres + gap2_acres) / NULLIF(SUM(acres), 0) as protection_ratio
8FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cpad-2025b-holdings/hex/*/*.parquet',
9                   hive_partitioning=1)
10WHERE gap1_acres + gap2_acres > 0
11GROUP BY h3_10, h3_0
12HAVING protection_ratio > 0.8  -- 80%+ high protection
13ORDER BY high_protection_acres DESC
14LIMIT 100;

1SELECT 
2    h3_10,
3    h3_0,
4    COUNT(*) as num_holdings,
5    SUM(gap1_acres + gap2_acres) as high_protection_acres,
6    SUM(acres) as total_hex_acres,
7    SUM(gap1_acres + gap2_acres) / NULLIF(SUM(acres), 0) as protection_ratio
8FROM read_parquet('s3://public-cpad/cpad-2025b-holdings/hex/*/*.parquet',
9                   hive_partitioning=1)
10WHERE gap1_acres + gap2_acres > 0
11GROUP BY h3_10, h3_0
12HAVING protection_ratio > 0.8  -- 80%+ high protection
13ORDER BY high_protection_acres DESC
14LIMIT 100;