Document Type

Thesis - University Access Only

Award Date

2002

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Geography

First Advisor

Darrell Napton

Abstract

Land use change has brought about significant environmental issues. The physical/biological sciences of change need to be integrated with human interaction within the environment. I explored the land use dynamics of an eastern U. S. ecoregion, the Northern Piedmont, concentrating on the years 1970-2000. The investigation used both qualitative and quantitative approaches to assess changes in the ecoregion. The results of the USGS Land Cover Trends project were used to examine the major driving forces of change. The Northern Piedmont has had different land use epochs. The ecoregion evolved from being a local agricultural hinterland to a suburban/exurban area of the "Megalopolitan" region. The major changes were the conversion of agricultural and forest lands to developed uses. The driving forces appeared to be an expanded highway system, sectorial and spatial economic restructuring, the search for affordable new housing, a desire for exurban living, and variously scaled governmental policies.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Land use -- Environmental aspects -- Piedmont (U.S. : Region)
Piedmont (U.S. : Region) -- Historical geography
Land use -- Environmental aspects -- Piedmont, Northern
Piedmont, Northern -- Historical geography

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright