Abstract Forest inventory systems should provide an efficient and logical approach to classifying cover type data. Inventory and mapping procedures that recognize small legal or political units (e.g., section lines, quarter-section lines, or 40-ac lines) may be inefficient as some cover types cross these boundaries. This may result in data redundancy, sampling and mathematical inconsistencies, increased sampling and data management costs, and more complex management decision making. An alternative data aggregation and mapping procedure was performed on three representative townships to eliminate redundancy in existing forest inventory data and to reduce the number of similar cover types. The cover type combination process, along with the use of a mapping system, resulted in a more efficient reporting and display of the inventory data. While benefits would probably be maximized if decision makers considered unit size before conducting an initial inventory or reinventory, benefits can still be derived if unit size is maximized after conducting this inventory. A classification system that recognizes the fewest possible political units encourages land managers to recognize existing cover types as management units. North. J. Appl. For. 6:157-161, December 1989.