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  1. Land parcelization and forest cover fragmentation in three forested countries in Northern Lower Michigan

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    Author(s): Scott A. Drzyzga; Daniel G. Brown
    Date: 1999
    Source: In: Proceedings of the society of American Foresters 1998 national convention; 1998 September 19-23; Traverse City, MI. SAFPubl. SAF-99-01. Bethesda, MD: Society of American Foresters: 129-135.
    Publication Series: Scientific Journal (JRNL)
    Station: North Central Research Station
    PDF: Download Publication  (402.97 KB)

    Description

    Many northern Michigan counties have grown in permanent residents and seasonal homes over the past several decades. Forest managers have observed that this influx of new forest owners affects public expectations and the range of socially acceptable forest management options. This shift in settlement and ownership patterns affects the landscape and has important ecological and economic implications. Information regarding landscape and ownership changes is necessary to make management and policy decisions. Changing patterns of land ownership and land parcelization were studied in three adjacent Michigan counties -- Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Crawford. Historical parcel maps were analyzed for each county at three points in time (approximately 1970, 1980, and 1990). Parcels were digitized into a geographic information system in vector format using five categories: private large parcels, private small parcels, public lands, built-up areas, and water features. Parcelization was calculated as the change in average parcel size between each time period. Average parcel size declined in all three counties while rates of parcelization varied. Forest cover patterns were quantified, for three dates, using classified Landsat MSS data and spatial pattern analysis. This research describes the link between land ownership parcelization and changes in forest cover at multiple spatial scales.

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    Citation

    Drzyzga, Scott A.; Brown, Daniel G. 1999. Land parcelization and forest cover fragmentation in three forested countries in Northern Lower Michigan. In: Proceedings of the society of American Foresters 1998 national convention; 1998 September 19-23; Traverse City, MI. SAFPubl. SAF-99-01. Bethesda, MD: Society of American Foresters: 129-135.

    Keywords

    MIchigan, landscape, parcelization, spatial scales

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