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Population Growth, Urban Expansion, and Private Forestry in Western Oregon

Reference Type
Journal, Research (Article)

"Private forestlands in the United States face increasing pressures from growing populations, resulting in greater numbers of people living in closer proximity to forests. What often is called the ‘wildland/urban interface’ is characterized by expansion of residential and other developed land uses onto forested landscapes in a manner that threatens forestlands as productive socioeconomic and ecological resources. Prevailing hypotheses suggest that such forestlands can become less productive, because forest owners reduce investments in forest management. We develop empirical models describing forest stocking, thinning, harvest, and tree planting in western Oregon, as functions of stand and site characteristics, ownership, and building densities. We use the models to examine the potential impacts of population growth and urban expansion, as described by increasing building densities, on the likelihood that forest owners maintain forest stocking, precommercial thin, harvest, and plant trees following harvest. Empirical results support the general conclusion that population growth and urban expansion are correlated with reduced forest management and investment on private forestlands in western Oregon (USA). Results have potential implications for both economic outputs and ecological conditions, as well as for wildfire risks at the wildland/urban interface."

Authors
J.D. Kline, D.L. Azuma, R.J Alig
Date Published
2004
Journal/Conference
Forest Science
Publisher
Society of American Foresters
Publisher Location
Bethesda, Maryland
ISBN/ISSN
0015-749X
Volume/Issue/Number
50/february 2004/1
Start Page
33
End Page
43
Pages
11
Sub-Topics
Forest Management, Interface
State(s)/Region(s)
Oregon
Keywords
Urbanization, Forest management, Leaf characteristics, Environmental management, Interface, Natural resource management
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