U.S. Eastern Forests in Decline

Leading type of net forest conversion in each Eastern U.S. ecoregion. Credit: Drummond and Loveland

Apr. 14, 2010 • In an article published in BioScience, USGS scientists Mark Drummond and Tom Loveland show that forests in the Eastern U.S. have declined four percent since 1973. Using Landsat data along with field work and statistical data Drummond (a USGS geographer) and Loveland (the USGS Landsat Science Team Manager) were able to categorize the net land use change for each ecoregion of the Eastern U.S. They found that the leading type of forest conversion overall was urban development, but mountaintop mining, timber harvesting, and agriculture led the conversion in some ecoregions (see map).

As agricultural lands were abandoned in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Eastern U.S. experienced a rebound in forest cover as fallow fields were reforested. Until now there was not definitive information about the contemporary net forest gain or loss, but the Drummond-Loveland Landsat-based study provides the first comprehensive look at modern forest conversion.

Reference:
Drummond, M.A. and T.R. Loveland (2010). "Land-use Pressure and a Transition to Forest-cover Loss in the Eastern United States." BioScience vol. 60, pp. 286–298. ISSN 0006-3568, electronic ISSN 1525-3244 [external link]

 

 

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