Title:

Percent tree and impervious cover for 2020 and projected in 2070 for three RPA scenarios (average, maximum and minimum) for the 2020 RPA Assessment

Author(s):

Greenfield, Eric J.; Nowak, David J.

Publication Year:

2023

How to Cite:

These data were collected using funding from the U.S. Government and can be used without additional permissions or fees. If you use these data in a publication, presentation, or other research product please use the following citation:

Greenfield, Eric J., and Nowak, David J. 2023. Percent tree and impervious cover for 2020 and projected in 2070 for three RPA scenarios (average, maximum and minimum) for the 2020 RPA Assessment. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2022-0085

Abstract:

Tree and impervious cover change alongside changes in land use. Tree cover is one of the simplest proxies for assessing the amount of forest and its associated benefits. Impervious surfaces (such as roads and buildings) change alongside land and tree cover change. Impervious surfaces provide essential services to society, but they can also negatively impact the environment through increased air temperatures and heat islands.

This data publication includes estimates of tree cover and impervious cover for every county in the conterminous United States in 2020 as well as projections for tree cover and impervious cover for 2070. To simplify and provide clarity in the assessment, these land use changes were estimated using three out of twenty of the 2020 Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessment scenario-climate futures which included: 1) average scenario (HM-wet: national average tree cover increase was closest to the average change among all RPA scenario-climate futures); 2) maximum scenario (HL-hot: scenario had the highest average increase in tree cover); and 3) minimum scenario (HH-middle: scenario had the lowest average increase in tree cover.)

Keywords:

biota; boundaries; environment; location; Ecology, Ecosystems, & Environment; Geography; Environment and People; Impact of people on environment; Urban natural resources management; Natural Resource Management & Use; Forest management; Resources Planning Act Assessment; RPA Assessment; landcover change; projected tree canopy cover; projected impervious surface cover; conterminous United States; CONUS

Related publications:

• Riitters, Kurt; Coulston, John W.; Mihiar, Christopher; Brooks, Evan B.; Greenfield, Eric J.; Nelson, Mark D.; Domke, Grant M.; Mockrin, Miranda; Lewis, David J.; Nowak, David J. 2023. Chapter 4: Land Resources. 4-1 - 4-37. https://doi.org/10.2737/WO-GTR-102-Chap4 In: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 2023. Future of America’s Forest and Rangelands: Forest Service 2020 Resources Planning Act Assessment. General Technical Report. WO-102. Washington, DC: 348 p. https://doi.org/10.2737/WO-GTR-102

Metrics:

Visit count : 129 0
Download count: 9
More details

Data Access:

• View metadata (HTML)
• View file index (HTML), which lists all files in this data publication and short description of their contents
• Download all files below for the complete publication:
  • RDS-2022-0085_Metadata_Fileindex.zip (13.2 KB; Checksum)
  • RDS-2022-0085.zip (187.67 KB; Checksum)

Need information about Using our Formats?