Monitoring Land Change is the South John Coulston Team Leader: Methods & Techniques Research USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Forest Inventory & Analysis

Resource and Social Issues Land change – Land use change Changing land management intents Parcelization caused by change in land use and division of parcels – Land cover change Changing biological cover over the landscape Fragmentation caused by complex land use and land cover patterns. Land change is also one driver behind – Invasive species establishment – Water quality and quantity – Likelihood of practicing forestry – Biomass availability

Information Assets To quantify, monitor, and model land use and cover change a suite of geospatial data and products are available. Research is also underway to improve base data and parameterize empirical models.

Base FIA Information

Modeled Products: In Production

Completed Research Looking for Funding Sample based image change: land use and land cover Total Change = 19.03%

Collaborative Research With The Center For Integrated Forest Science and Synthesis Yadkin-Peedee Watershed Percent Forest Percent Developed Dominant Land Use Management Type Growing Stock Volume 2020 Dominant Land Use 2040 Dominant Land Use 2060 Dominant Land Use

Closing Comments Given that land area is fixed, the division of the land into land uses and land covers impacts a broad range of ecosystem services. Examining ecosystem services increasingly requires spatially explicit information. We must begin to articulate the ‘forest’ story within the context of other land uses and land covers. Relevant policy recommendations will come from understanding forest, the context in which they exist, the relevant drivers of change, and the ecosystem services influenced.