Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, it is an increasingly large problem in America today. Between the exsisting cities and suburban areas, and the consistantly growing size of these areas, America's woodlands are being replaced. This website, aside from a school project, is meant to raise awareness and pose a sollution to the problem of urban sprawl. Urban sprawl is mesured by something called the U-index (human use index). The U-index is a way of mesuring how much total watershed area is covered by aggricultural land or urban areas. Using the information provided by the U-index, we can tell that the greatest areas of urbanization around differant parts of America.
Since the end of World War II, forrest and woodland areas around large cities have been being replaced by suburbs and housing developments, and the rate of development is increasing. According to The American Farmland Trust, about 70 percent of prime or unique american farmland is on its way to destruction. There are many factors that are effecting urban sprawl right now, but from what I have read, population growth is the greatest cause of urban sprawl. The more people in america, the more area that needs to be turned into housing developments. It is that simple.
In Maryland alone, in the last six months over 10,000 acres of forrests and farmlands were lost. If this continues, Maryland could use as much land for development in the next 25 years as it has in the whole history of the state. That is just rediculous. Just like Maryland, North Virginia's population increased by nearly 150 percent from 1980 to now. As a result, its landscape is being torn down to make suburbs, and their aquifers are taking a toll because of the rapid increase of people using them. Alike both North Virginia and Maryland, many other areas of america are being forced to take on the problems caused by urban sprawl.
Since the end of World War II, forrest and woodland areas around large cities have been being replaced by suburbs and housing developments, and the rate of development is increasing. According to The American Farmland Trust, about 70 percent of prime or unique american farmland is on its way to destruction. There are many factors that are effecting urban sprawl right now, but from what I have read, population growth is the greatest cause of urban sprawl. The more people in america, the more area that needs to be turned into housing developments. It is that simple.
In Maryland alone, in the last six months over 10,000 acres of forrests and farmlands were lost. If this continues, Maryland could use as much land for development in the next 25 years as it has in the whole history of the state. That is just rediculous. Just like Maryland, North Virginia's population increased by nearly 150 percent from 1980 to now. As a result, its landscape is being torn down to make suburbs, and their aquifers are taking a toll because of the rapid increase of people using them. Alike both North Virginia and Maryland, many other areas of america are being forced to take on the problems caused by urban sprawl.