Our Nation’s ForestlandsOur Nation’s ForestlandsOn the EdgeOn the Edge

Susan SteinSusan Stein

USDA Forest ServiceUSDA Forest Service

FREMO Workshop, AnnapolisFREMO Workshop, AnnapolisSeptember 18, 2007September 18, 2007

Key MessagesKey Messages

America’s forests provide critical goods and America’s forests provide critical goods and services;services;

Housing development on Housing development on and adjacent toand adjacent to our our forestlands has implications for these services;forestlands has implications for these services;

Forests on the Edge Forests on the Edge is using GIS to identify is using GIS to identify areas where rural forests may be impacted by areas where rural forests may be impacted by developmentdevelopment..

Who owns our forests?Who owns our forests?

Forest ownership in the United States, 2002

Public43%

Private57%

Public

Private

Forest land by owner class in the United States, 2002

20%

23%

9%

48%

National forest

Other public forest

Foresty industry

Other private forest

Percent Forest Ownerships in Each Size Class

25%

41%

28%

5%

5,000

100 to 4,99910 to 99

1 to 9

Facts about U.S. DevelopmentFacts about U.S. Development U.S. urban and developed land area increased U.S. urban and developed land area increased

by 25% (21.6 million acres) 1992 to 2003;by 25% (21.6 million acres) 1992 to 2003; Nearly 1 million acres of private forest land Nearly 1 million acres of private forest land

converted annually, from 1992 to 1997;converted annually, from 1992 to 1997; Population growth of counties with national Population growth of counties with national

forest land is among the highest in the country;forest land is among the highest in the country; US population is projected to increase by 135 US population is projected to increase by 135

million (to 420 million) by 2050.million (to 420 million) by 2050.

ImplicationsImplications

Native wildlife Native wildlife Water qualityWater quality Timber productionTimber production Fire risk and fire management costsFire risk and fire management costs Recreational experiencesRecreational experiences

Forests and WildlifeForests and Wildlife

Many wildlife species rely on forested Many wildlife species rely on forested habitat;habitat;

Two-thirds of watersheds in the US contain Two-thirds of watersheds in the US contain at-risk species that depend upon private at-risk species that depend upon private forest habitat;forest habitat;

Private forests are critical to many wide-Private forests are critical to many wide-ranging speciesranging species

At-risk speciesAt-risk species

Federally designated under Federally designated under the Endangered Species Act the Endangered Species Act (Endangered, Threatened, (Endangered, Threatened, Candidate, Proposed), orCandidate, Proposed), or

Designated as critically Designated as critically imperiled, imperiled, or imperiled, imperiled, or vulnerable according to the vulnerable according to the NatureServe Conservation NatureServe Conservation Status Ranking systemStatus Ranking system

Forest Development and WildlifeForest Development and Wildlife

BirdsBirds: Neotropical migratory birds experience : Neotropical migratory birds experience higher rates of higher rates of predation and parasitismpredation and parasitism..

Mammalian carnivoresMammalian carnivores: Large carnivore : Large carnivore mortalitymortality increases with vehicle collisions and increases with vehicle collisions and incidental poisoning.incidental poisoning.

Wetland amphibiansWetland amphibians: : Species richnessSpecies richness is is reduced by loss of by forest and wetland cover reduced by loss of by forest and wetland cover on adjacent lands. on adjacent lands.

Forests and WaterForests and Water

54% of US water supply originates on forests;54% of US water supply originates on forests; Almost 30% of water supply comes from Almost 30% of water supply comes from

private forestsprivate forests Other water-related benefitsOther water-related benefits

Protection from soil erosionProtection from soil erosion Filtration of pesticides Filtration of pesticides

Forest Development and WaterForest Development and Water

Reduction of water quality and quantityReduction of water quality and quantity Reduced groundwater recharge;Reduced groundwater recharge; Higher storm water run-off;Higher storm water run-off; Higher sediment and nutrient levels;Higher sediment and nutrient levels;

TimberTimber

92% of all timber 92% of all timber harvested in the US is from harvested in the US is from

private forestsprivate forests

Forest Development and TimberForest Development and Timber

Reduction of active Reduction of active management;management;

Decline of timber Decline of timber production;production;

Reduction of timber supplyReduction of timber supply

Forests on the EdgeForests on the EdgeState and Private ForestryState and Private ForestryResearch and DevelopmentResearch and Development

Increase awareness of the Increase awareness of the importance of conserving importance of conserving America’s forestsAmerica’s forests

Create tools for strategic Create tools for strategic planningplanning

Housing density to increase on over 44 million Housing density to increase on over 44 million acres of rural private forest (2000-2030)acres of rural private forest (2000-2030)

Forestland Development in Forestland Development in Washington Study Area,Washington Study Area,

2000 and 20302000 and 2030

Factors related toFactors related toForestland Development in Washington Forestland Development in Washington

WatershedsWatersheds Large net migration Large net migration

from other states;from other states; Declining stumpage Declining stumpage

valuesvalues Steady to declining Steady to declining

harvestsharvests High market for High market for

undeveloped landundeveloped land

Private Assets/Public Benefits StudyPrivate Assets/Public Benefits Study

To increase understanding of private forest To increase understanding of private forest contributions and how they might changecontributions and how they might change Contributions:Contributions:

Water QualityWater Quality Timber SupplyTimber Supply

At-Risk Species HabitatAt-Risk Species Habitat Interior ForestInterior Forest Change factorsChange factors

FireFire Insect Insect Pests/DiseasePests/Disease

Air PollutionAir Pollution Housing DevelopmentHousing Development

Development Threats to At-Risk Development Threats to At-Risk SpeciesSpecies

Seneca WatershedSeneca Watershed

Highest ranked in Highest ranked in terms of at-risk terms of at-risk species and private species and private forest development;forest development;

66 Globally-ranked 66 Globally-ranked species associated species associated with private forests;with private forests;

Green SalamanderGreen Salamander(Aneidus aeneus)(Aneidus aeneus)

Critically imperiled in Critically imperiled in South Carolina;South Carolina;

Populations have Populations have declined substantially declined substantially since the 1970’s;since the 1970’s;

Only a few of the Only a few of the remaining populations remaining populations are located on private are located on private lands.lands.

National Forests on the National Forests on the EdgeEdge

Goals:Goals: Identify National Identify National

Forests and Forests and Grasslands most Grasslands most likely to experience likely to experience increased housing increased housing density along their density along their bordersborders

AnalysisAnalysis

Three distances:Three distances: 0 to ½ mile0 to ½ mile ½ to 3 miles½ to 3 miles 3 to 10 miles3 to 10 miles

Housing to increase on over 21 million acres Housing to increase on over 21 million acres of rural lands within 10 miles of national of rural lands within 10 miles of national

forests and grasslandsforests and grasslands

Development adjacent to the Development adjacent to the Bitterroot National Forest Bitterroot National Forest

2000 and 20302000 and 2030

Key MessagesKey Messages

America’s forests provide critical goods and America’s forests provide critical goods and services;services;

Housing development on Housing development on and adjacent toand adjacent to our our forestlands has implications for these services;forestlands has implications for these services;

Forests on the Edge Forests on the Edge is using GIS to identify is using GIS to identify areas where rural forests may be impacted by areas where rural forests may be impacted by developmentdevelopment..

Contact InformationContact Information

Susan Stein – Cooperative Forestry Staff, Susan Stein – Cooperative Forestry Staff, Washington DCWashington DC (202) 205-0837 or (202) 205-0837 or sstein@fs.fed.ussstein@fs.fed.us

Eric White – Pacific Northwest Research Eric White – Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, ORStation, Corvallis, OR 541-750-7329; 541-750-7329; emwhite@fs.fed.usemwhite@fs.fed.us