VNRC just published a report and website that systematically track the increasing parcelization of our forests. VT is the third most forested of the lower 48 states, with approximately 4.6 million acres of forestland. But in a concerning trend, the state is actually losing forest cover due to parcelization, subdivision, and the subsequent development of land.
Tracking Parcelization Over Time examines key parcelization trends from 2004-2016, such as:
- The amount of land in larger parcels is shrinking, while the amount of land in smaller parcels is increasing.
- The number of large parcels (50 acres of larger) declined over the study period, while the number of parcels less than 50 acres increased by 8,746 parcels.
- The amount of “woodland,” which represents mostly undeveloped forestland (there may be a seasonal camp), decreased by 147,684 acres, or approximately 12-15% over the study period.
- Residential acreage increased by 162,670 acres, which is a 7% increase over the study period.
Find the website here: https://vtforesttrends.