Pacific Northwest Research Station

Title: A closer look at forests on the edge: future development on private forests in three states.

Author: White, Eric M.; Mazza, Rhonda.

Date: 2008

Source: Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-758. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 20 p.

Station ID: GTR-PNW-758

Description: Privately owned forests provide many public benefits, including clean water and air, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. By 2030, 44.2 million acres of rural private forest land across the conterminous United States are projected to experience substantial increases in residential development. As housing density increases, the public benefits provided by private forests can be permanently altered. We examine factors behind projected patterns of residential development and conversion of private forest land by 2030 in northwestern Washington, southern Maine, and northwestern Georgia. Some key factors affecting the extent of future residential housing include (1) population growth from migration into an area; (2) historical settlement patterns, topography, and land ownership; and (3) land use planning and zoning.

Keywords: Private forests, residential development, Washington, Maine, Georgia.

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Citation

White, Eric M.; Mazza, Rhonda.   2008.  A closer look at forests on the edge: future development on private forests in three states..   Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-758. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 20 p..