Land Use Classification
 |
According
to the NLCD estimated land use for 2000, 70% of the SWAP study area is
comprised of forested lands. |
|
Seventeen
percent of the area is used for agricultural purposes and 10% is developed
(Figure 4). |
|
Decreases
in agricultural and forested areas result from increases in development
(i.e., residential, commercial, industrial, transportation). |
|
Since 1990, there has been a 21% increase in development, and a 7% and 1% decrease in agricultural and forested lands, as shown in Table 2 and Figure 5. |
Figure 4: Overview of Study Area Land Use – Year 2000 (Estimated)
Source: USGS National Land Cover Data 1992
Figure 5: Percent Change in Land Use in the Study Area (1990-2000)
Table 2: Land Use Changes in the Study Area: 1990 – 2000
|
|
1990 |
2000 |
% Change |
|
% Agricultural |
18.2% |
17.0% |
-7.1% |
|
% Developed |
7.9% |
10.0% |
21.0% |
|
% Forested |
70.7% |
70.0% |
-1.0% |
Source: USGS National Land Cover Data 1992
Note: To calculate % change in agriculture land from 1990 to 2000: [(17.0-18.2)/18.2]*100=-7.1%
|
Ulster
County in New York had the highest change in percentage of developed land
from 1990 to 2000 with an 85.5% increase, although Ulster County still
remains one of the least developed counties overall within the study area.
|
|
Schuylkill
County in Pennsylvania experienced a 51% change in developed land during
this time, but also remains one of the least developed counties. |
|
Philadelphia
County is the most developed county within the study area with a developed
area rate of about 83%. |
|
However,
since Philadelphia is already so developed, there was little change from
1990 to 2000. |
|
Bucks
County in Pennsylvania experienced the greatest actual development
increase with 27,645 acres developed. |
|
This
increase reflects a 32% change in developed land within the Bucks County
portion of the study area. |
|
This overall percentage is lower when compared to the other counties, but the amount of development is equal to approximately 43 square miles and is all located within a single county (Figure 1.2.5-6 and Table 1.2.5-3). |
Source: USGS
National Land Cover Data 1992
Table
3: Change in Percentage of Developed Land Use Within the Study Area by
County
|
|
1990 |
2000 |
Change in Percentage |
|
Berks |
3.24% |
4.35% |
34.27% |
|
Burlington |
19.51% |
23.38% |
19.82% |
|
Broome |
0.58% |
0.66% |
12.88% |
|
Bucks |
16.70% |
24.59% |
47.21% |
|
Camden |
65.72% |
74.55% |
13.35% |
|
Carbon |
2.86% |
3.28% |
14.79% |
|
Delaware |
0.58% |
0.64% |
10.28% |
|
Gloucester |
43.96% |
56.54% |
28.62% |
|
Greene |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
|
Hunterdon |
2.35% |
2.74% |
16.78% |
|
Lackawanna |
2.32% |
2.44% |
5.06% |
|
Lehigh |
16.39% |
21.92% |
33.75% |
|
Luzerne |
2.57% |
3.23% |
25.46% |
|
Mercer |
33.55% |
38.84% |
15.78% |
|
Monmouth |
2.58% |
3.06% |
18.85% |
|
Monroe |
3.44% |
4.88% |
41.69% |
|
Montgomery |
47.69% |
64.75% |
35.78% |
|
Morris |
10.33% |
14.41% |
39.52% |
|
Northampton |
10.38% |
13.95% |
34.40% |
|
Ocean |
3.70% |
4.18% |
12.92% |
|
Orange |
4.48% |
4.82% |
7.69% |
|
Philadelphia |
77.92% |
82.54% |
5.92% |
|
Pike |
1.39% |
1.69% |
21.13% |
|
Schoharie |
0.43% |
0.45% |
6.26% |
|
Schuylkill |
0.66% |
0.99% |
50.81% |
|
Sullivan |
2.23% |
2.46% |
10.40% |
|
Sussex |
4.53% |
5.99% |
32.12% |
|
Ulster |
0.01% |
0.02% |
85.50% |
|
Warren |
4.53% |
5.42% |
19.57% |
|
Wayne |
0.90% |
1.05% |
16.81% |