Is only 4% of original forest left in the US?
The 2009 video The Story of Stuff makes several rather incredible claims. For example:
Where I live, in the United States, we have less than 4% of our original forests left.
My gut feeling tells me to be skeptical about this number. Is it correct?
united-states environment
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The 2009 video The Story of Stuff makes several rather incredible claims. For example:
Where I live, in the United States, we have less than 4% of our original forests left.
My gut feeling tells me to be skeptical about this number. Is it correct?
united-states environment
New contributor
add a comment |
The 2009 video The Story of Stuff makes several rather incredible claims. For example:
Where I live, in the United States, we have less than 4% of our original forests left.
My gut feeling tells me to be skeptical about this number. Is it correct?
united-states environment
New contributor
The 2009 video The Story of Stuff makes several rather incredible claims. For example:
Where I live, in the United States, we have less than 4% of our original forests left.
My gut feeling tells me to be skeptical about this number. Is it correct?
united-states environment
united-states environment
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New contributor
edited 2 hours ago
Oddthinking♦
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Jishin NobenJishin Noben
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Yes, this figure is consistent with estimates from 20 years ago.
The 1995 paper Endangered Ecosystems of the United States:
A Preliminary Assessment of Loss and Degradation collates some relevant estimates from the literature in Appendix A.
50 United States
85% of original primary (virgin) forest destroyed by late 1980's (Postel and Ryan 1991).
90% loss of ancient (old-growth) forests (World Resources Institute 1992).
[...]
48 Conterminous States
ca. 95-98% of virgin forests destroyed by 1990 (estimated from map in Findley 1990 and
commonly estimated by other authors, e.g., Postel and Ryan 1991).
99% loss of primary (virgin) eastern deciduous forest (Allen and Jackson 1992).
It goes on to break the USA down into smaller regions, and cites consistent statistics for those - e.g.:
>99% loss of virgin or old-growth forests in New Hampshire (D. D. Sperduto, New
Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, Natural Heritage
Inventory, Concord, N.H., personal communication).
This shows it is more than one or two papers making these nationwide estimates - they are shored up by several ecologists who have reached similar conclusions in different regions.
1
Our etymology-loving friends assure me that "conterminous" and "coterminous" are both correct even though the spelling quoted here looks wrong to my eyes.
– Oddthinking♦
28 mins ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Yes, this figure is consistent with estimates from 20 years ago.
The 1995 paper Endangered Ecosystems of the United States:
A Preliminary Assessment of Loss and Degradation collates some relevant estimates from the literature in Appendix A.
50 United States
85% of original primary (virgin) forest destroyed by late 1980's (Postel and Ryan 1991).
90% loss of ancient (old-growth) forests (World Resources Institute 1992).
[...]
48 Conterminous States
ca. 95-98% of virgin forests destroyed by 1990 (estimated from map in Findley 1990 and
commonly estimated by other authors, e.g., Postel and Ryan 1991).
99% loss of primary (virgin) eastern deciduous forest (Allen and Jackson 1992).
It goes on to break the USA down into smaller regions, and cites consistent statistics for those - e.g.:
>99% loss of virgin or old-growth forests in New Hampshire (D. D. Sperduto, New
Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, Natural Heritage
Inventory, Concord, N.H., personal communication).
This shows it is more than one or two papers making these nationwide estimates - they are shored up by several ecologists who have reached similar conclusions in different regions.
1
Our etymology-loving friends assure me that "conterminous" and "coterminous" are both correct even though the spelling quoted here looks wrong to my eyes.
– Oddthinking♦
28 mins ago
add a comment |
Yes, this figure is consistent with estimates from 20 years ago.
The 1995 paper Endangered Ecosystems of the United States:
A Preliminary Assessment of Loss and Degradation collates some relevant estimates from the literature in Appendix A.
50 United States
85% of original primary (virgin) forest destroyed by late 1980's (Postel and Ryan 1991).
90% loss of ancient (old-growth) forests (World Resources Institute 1992).
[...]
48 Conterminous States
ca. 95-98% of virgin forests destroyed by 1990 (estimated from map in Findley 1990 and
commonly estimated by other authors, e.g., Postel and Ryan 1991).
99% loss of primary (virgin) eastern deciduous forest (Allen and Jackson 1992).
It goes on to break the USA down into smaller regions, and cites consistent statistics for those - e.g.:
>99% loss of virgin or old-growth forests in New Hampshire (D. D. Sperduto, New
Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, Natural Heritage
Inventory, Concord, N.H., personal communication).
This shows it is more than one or two papers making these nationwide estimates - they are shored up by several ecologists who have reached similar conclusions in different regions.
1
Our etymology-loving friends assure me that "conterminous" and "coterminous" are both correct even though the spelling quoted here looks wrong to my eyes.
– Oddthinking♦
28 mins ago
add a comment |
Yes, this figure is consistent with estimates from 20 years ago.
The 1995 paper Endangered Ecosystems of the United States:
A Preliminary Assessment of Loss and Degradation collates some relevant estimates from the literature in Appendix A.
50 United States
85% of original primary (virgin) forest destroyed by late 1980's (Postel and Ryan 1991).
90% loss of ancient (old-growth) forests (World Resources Institute 1992).
[...]
48 Conterminous States
ca. 95-98% of virgin forests destroyed by 1990 (estimated from map in Findley 1990 and
commonly estimated by other authors, e.g., Postel and Ryan 1991).
99% loss of primary (virgin) eastern deciduous forest (Allen and Jackson 1992).
It goes on to break the USA down into smaller regions, and cites consistent statistics for those - e.g.:
>99% loss of virgin or old-growth forests in New Hampshire (D. D. Sperduto, New
Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, Natural Heritage
Inventory, Concord, N.H., personal communication).
This shows it is more than one or two papers making these nationwide estimates - they are shored up by several ecologists who have reached similar conclusions in different regions.
Yes, this figure is consistent with estimates from 20 years ago.
The 1995 paper Endangered Ecosystems of the United States:
A Preliminary Assessment of Loss and Degradation collates some relevant estimates from the literature in Appendix A.
50 United States
85% of original primary (virgin) forest destroyed by late 1980's (Postel and Ryan 1991).
90% loss of ancient (old-growth) forests (World Resources Institute 1992).
[...]
48 Conterminous States
ca. 95-98% of virgin forests destroyed by 1990 (estimated from map in Findley 1990 and
commonly estimated by other authors, e.g., Postel and Ryan 1991).
99% loss of primary (virgin) eastern deciduous forest (Allen and Jackson 1992).
It goes on to break the USA down into smaller regions, and cites consistent statistics for those - e.g.:
>99% loss of virgin or old-growth forests in New Hampshire (D. D. Sperduto, New
Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, Natural Heritage
Inventory, Concord, N.H., personal communication).
This shows it is more than one or two papers making these nationwide estimates - they are shored up by several ecologists who have reached similar conclusions in different regions.
answered 1 hour ago
Oddthinking♦Oddthinking
99.9k31415524
99.9k31415524
1
Our etymology-loving friends assure me that "conterminous" and "coterminous" are both correct even though the spelling quoted here looks wrong to my eyes.
– Oddthinking♦
28 mins ago
add a comment |
1
Our etymology-loving friends assure me that "conterminous" and "coterminous" are both correct even though the spelling quoted here looks wrong to my eyes.
– Oddthinking♦
28 mins ago
1
1
Our etymology-loving friends assure me that "conterminous" and "coterminous" are both correct even though the spelling quoted here looks wrong to my eyes.
– Oddthinking♦
28 mins ago
Our etymology-loving friends assure me that "conterminous" and "coterminous" are both correct even though the spelling quoted here looks wrong to my eyes.
– Oddthinking♦
28 mins ago
add a comment |