Rates of Deforestation & Reforestation in the U.S. Education



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Deforestation is forest loss through urban sprawl, land clearing for agriculture, wildfire, disease or timber harvest. The United States went through a period of intense deforestation between 1600 and 1900, but the size of its forest areas has been relatively stable for the last hundred years. Deforestation is offset by reforestation through planting projects following timber harvest, natural regeneration or planting projects on reclaimed farmland or urban sites.

Current Forest Cover As of 2010, the United States had 304,022,000 hectares (751,255,000 acres) of forested lands, a number that represents one-third of the country. Of this area, 25 percent is old growth forest, 67 percent is secondary forest, and 8 percent is tree farms or plantations. The United States is frequently divided into the Northeast, Southeast and the West because of forest eco-type and historical forestry practices. These regions have 41 percent, 40 percent and 28 percent forest cover, respectively, although the West has the most acres of forested lands.

Historical Forest Trends It is estimated that prior to European settlement, the United States. was 46 percent forested. European settlers quickly harvested much of the available timber for housing, industry, the creation of railroads and to clear land for farming. By 1907, the U.S. forest cover was reduced to 33 percent. The eastern portion of the nation was disproportionately affected during this era because it was more heavily settled and had better agricultural soils and climate than the West. Since 1953, the trend in the northern region has been increasing forest cover while the South and West have trended level to slightly downward.

Deforestation Rates The United States lost an average of 384,350 hectares (949,750 acres) of forest each year between 1990 and 2010. A total of almost 4 million hectares (10 million acres) of timber is harvested each year, but most of that timber regenerates and remains classified as forested land, albeit at a different successional stage. So the deforestation here refers to lands that are converted from forest to some other purpose. Deforestation could increase in the future because tree pests and diseases such as bark beetles are becoming more prevalent in the face of climate change.

Reforestation Rates In the United States, deforestation has been more than offset by reforestation between 1990 and 2010. The nation added 7,687,000 hectares (18,995,000 acres) of forested land during that period. The trend in reforesting areas has been driven by organizations such as the U.S. Forest Service and the Arbor Day Foundation. Reforestation efforts were critical to maintain forest cover starting at the beginning of the 20th century, and they are the reason that there is a net positive trend in forest growth today.

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