Land use change in New England: a reversal of the forest transition

New England has been a prime example of the idea of forest transition. Deforestation commenced in the early seventeenth century and intensified up until the late 1800s. Following abandonment of farmland, forest cover increased until recent years. In this article, we examine recent trends of forest change in New England. What does the continuation of forest transition look like? What are the drivers and characteristics of land change beyond the initial transition? Land use change, not including areas of forest harvest, was mapped across New England (Maine excluded) between 1990 and 2005 using satellite data. A total of 133,000 ha were deforested for use as residential or commercial development. The net forest loss was 129,000 ha (2.8% of the forest present in 1990). If the observed pattern is present elsewhere, we could be witnessing a secondary phase of forest transition that involves a loss of forest driven by urban growth rather than agricultural expansion. The accuracy of the forest change map was assessed and the area estimates of forest change are based on both the map and the accuracy assessment results.

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