Low-density land development and forest fragmentation: The changing face of the private ownership-dominated forest landscape

摘要

Cumberland County, Tennessee has experienced tremendous growth in population density and urban development in recent years. Due to a rising demand for land for residential purposes, large, privately owned tracts of forests are now undergoing ownershipchange and subdivision. With the growth of an amenity-demanding retiree population in the area, low-density development of large lots has altered the amount, spatial configuration, and arrangement of the forested landscape substantially. Measuring the forest landscape with some quantitative metrics, this paper examines and discusses the effect of this development pattern in the context of forest fragmentation and biodiversity concerns in the area.