Land ownership parcelization and forest fragmentation in three forested counties in northern Lower Michigan

This research assesses historic landscape configurations of private land ownerships and forest habitats in Crawford, Grand Traverse, and Kalkaska Counties, in northern Lower Michigan. This study builds on previous research that has produced quantitative indicators of parcelization (changing average parcel sizes). This study also produces quantitative indicators of regional forest areal extent and fragmentation over a twenty-year period. Spatial and temporal patterns of land parcel subdivision are analyzed using digitized plat map data, while patterns of forest cover and forest cover change are assessed using digital remote sensing data. Changes in land parcel subdivision and forest cover are observed at multiple spatial scales. Examinations of changing spatial structure are used to determine whether or not evidence exists to support a hypothesized link between these phenomena. The purpose of this research is to provide information that may lead to land use planning and forest management strategies that are sensitive to land ownership patterns and their influence on forest structures.