Indicator: Forest Cover

2015 indicator

Data Producer

• Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium

Point of Contact

• Linda Heath U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station

Contributing Agencies

• U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station
• U.S. Geological Survey

Key Points: 1. This indicator measures different types of forest cover and their locations throughout the contiguous United States. Forest cover is affected by climate factors, such as drought or increased rainfall, and human factors, such as changes in land use or management. 2. Forests accounted for about 29% of the land area in the contiguous United States in 2011. 3. Forest cover data can inform decisions about wildfire control, forest production and preservation, invasive species management, and climate change mitigation strategies. Full Summary: As of 2011, forests accounted for about 29% of the land area in the contiguous United States. Human activities—such as fire suppression, changes in grazing patterns, abandonment of agricultural lands, and timber harvest—affect forest cover. Climate, windstorms, fire, insects, and pests also can affect forest cover in some areas. For example, drought can cause tree death and impede tree regrowth. On the other hand, in regions where increased rainfall and soil moisture limit tree growth, forest cover may increase with drought. Data to visually represent forest cover were obtained from the National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) produced by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Consortium (MRLC). In this indicator, forest cover is defined as areas where trees are dominantly greater than 16 feet tall and make up greater than 20% of the total vegetation cover. In addition to forest cover, this indicator also shows cover by woody wetlands. Forest cover data can inform decisions about wildfire control, forest production and preservation, and invasive species management. Because forests may be used for carbon sequestration, forest cover data can also inform climate change mitigation strategies. In addition to considering forest cover, monitoring the condition of forests through the use of vegetation indices (such as year-to-year variability in peak greenness) may provide further insights.

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http://www.globalchange.gov/browse/indicators/indicator-forest-cover