Land Resources
Summary
Chapter on land resource trends and projections for the 2020 RPA Assessment, analyzing historical patterns and future scenarios for major land use categories across the United States.
Abstract
This chapter of the 2020 RPA Assessment analyzes trends and projections for land resources across the United States. We examine historical patterns of land use and land cover change and project future scenarios for major land-use categories including forest, cropland, pasture, rangeland, and developed land.
Why It Matters
The RPA Assessment’s land resources chapter provides:
- The foundational land-use analysis for national renewable resource planning
- Scenario-based projections that inform forest management and conservation priorities
- Historical context for understanding the pace and direction of landscape change
- Data for policymakers evaluating land-use tradeoffs under different futures
Key Findings
- US forest area has been relatively stable but faces increasing development pressure in key regions
- Land-use change patterns vary dramatically across climate and socioeconomic scenarios
- The Southeast and intermountain West face the greatest projected changes
- Urbanization remains the dominant driver of forest loss nationally
Citation
Riitters, K., Coulston, J. W., Mihiar, C., Brooks, E. B., Greenfield, E. J., & Nelson, M. D. (2023). Land resources. In: USDA Forest Service. Future of America’s Forests and Rangelands: Forest Service 2020 Resources Planning Act Assessment.