NCRS - The Changing Midwest Assessment

In addition to describing how the area of Forestland has changed, scientists at the North Central Research Station and collaborating universities are currently working to understand the ecological, economic, and social forces that drive change. Further, we are investigating the consequences of changes in land cover. For example, we are studying how the pattern and scale of changes in Forestland are related to changes in water quality and the relative abundance of birds. Finally, we are developing a set of interactive, web-based tools that will allow users to visualize the spatial distribution of changes that are likely in the future given a range of alternative economic, social, and ecological scenarios.