Fate of natural vegetation during urban development of rural landscapes in Southeastern Wisconsin

Abstract

The fate of vegetation as three rural landscapes (each 25km²) in southeastern Wisconsin were urbanized was investigated using a spatial data base with time series of land use and vegetal cover for 1937, 1963 and 1975. Additionally, forest tracts in these landscapes were surveyed to assess types and intensity of disturbance.

Remnant natural vegetation and such semi-natural vegetation as tree-lined fencerows in rural landscapes undergo complex transformations during urbanization. Land use changes destroy some tracts of forest and savanna, while others are created in new locations offsetting losses. Forest and fencerows are resources for development of areas of street and yard trees. However, most such vegetal resources of rural areas are destroyed during urbanization, rather than being incorporated into urban vegetation.