Projected urban growth (2000-2050) and its estimated impact on the US forest resource

Abstract

Urban land in the United States is projected to increase from 3.1% in 2000 to 8.1% in 2050, an area of 392,400 km2, which is larger than the state of Montana. By 2050, four states (Rhode Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut) are projected to be more than one-half urban land. The total projected amount of US forestland estimated to be subsumed by urbanization between 2000 and 2050 is about 118,300 km2, an area approximately the size of Pennsylvania. Because of this urban growth, more regional planning and management may be needed to sustain forest products and ecosystem services required by a growing urban population.