III. Loss of Open Space
June 19 2008
Perhaps the most devastating trend threatening open or wild spaces is the clearing of land. Land clearing destroys natural habitats, shelter and food sources of native plants and wildlife.
Why? Typically, land may be cleared of trees and underbrush in the hopes of making it more attractive to developers, ranchers, or farmers. Another trend has been homes being built on large, individual lots that are scattered across an undeveloped rural landscape. These home sites often spring up in undeveloped and environmentally sensitive places such as shorelines, riparian areas, or forests.
When land is cleared, the timber is usually sold off or burned and the trees and habitats are not replanted. If the change is dramatic such as a conversion from forest to field, shade areas are suddenly transformed to full-sun areas and the shade plants cannot survive if they reemerge, leading to their extinction in that area. Native animals are often pushed out or quarantined to small areas. Those dependent on a unique ecosystem may not survive elsewhere but if they do manage to find another suitable habitat, new predators and competition for limited resources lessen their odds of survival. The altered landscape that remains is unsuitable for all but the hardiest of the original species and they may, in turn, increase in numbers due to a unnatural lack of competition, furthering the ecological imbalance.
Woodlands and grasslands with unique ecosystems hosting thousands of native species are have already been reduced to a fraction of their original area. They are increasingly confined to small islands or natural habitat surrounded by cleared land or encroaching civilization. In their weakened position, they are easily extinquished by dominant and/or invasive species, pollutants, and nontraditional predators.
Modifications to the landscape may also result in land erosion, leaching of nutrients from the soil, alterations in hydrology and subsequent reduced water quality, decreased forest health, and an increased risk of forest fires.
Changes in the U.S. economy over the years have brought changes to the use of land. Whereas small farms were traditionally passed from farmer to farmer while most of the population lived in the more convenient towns and cities., now the farms are being bought up by developers and turned into suburbs, changing the flow of life in rural areas. A lack of zoning and planning can result in overdevelopment of rural areas, putting a strain on the ecology and limited natural resources. Tennessee is among the top states in the nation for urban sprawl. Sprawl is the result of unplanned and unchecked urban development spread out over large amounts of land. It puts long distances between homes, stores, and job centers. People become more dependent on driving, resulting in smog and polluted water runoff into our streams, rivers, and reservoirs, disrupting those ecosystems as well.
Sustainable planning and building practices make less of a negative impact all around. It's as simple as looking ahead to consider the potential consequences vs. benefits and then making good choices, not just for us but for the ecosphere in our care.
Internet Resources:
The Private Land Owner Network
http://www.privatelandownernetwork.org/
Green Infrastructure
http://www.greeninfrastructure.net/
Stop Sprawl
http://www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/overview/
Private Forests on the Edge
http://www.fs.fed.us/openspace/fote/housing.html
