New Online System Maps Risks to Forests in U.S. South

The World Resources Institute has launched a website that maps forests in the southern United States, which produce more pulp for paper than any place on Earth. Using satellite imagery, GoogleEarth technology, and decades of forest data, the site — SeeSouthernForests.org — depicts threats to the region’s forests including pest and pathogen outbreaks, wildfire, logging, and human development, the leading cause of deforestation in the South. About 27 percent of forests in the region are owned by companies and financial institutions, while individuals and families still own about 60 percent. “Surveys indicate that most families want to pass their forests on to the next generation,” said Todd Gartner, manager of Conservation Incentives at the American Forest Foundation. “However, with increasing development pressure, market-based incentives are needed to ensure that private forests remain as forests.” WRI officials hope the new online resource will illustrate the history of these forests, and help landowners better understand how numerous forces are affecting the region.