Iowa's Changing Forest Resources

After a period of decline in area extending from the 1850s to 1974, Iowa's forest area increased between 1974 and 1990. Although the area increase is encouraging, it may be fleeting. In addition, changes in forest stand structure and forest ownership patterns along with other pressures may make it difficult to maintain healthy forest ecosystems in the future. Notes from the original land survey in Iowa coupled with information from U.S. Forest Service forest inventories make it possible to look at changes in forest area and forest tree types. Unfortunately, similar long-term data do not exist to make possible a comparison of changes in other species associated with the forest. For that reason, this paper looks primarily at those commercial and non-commercial tree species that have been assessed during U.S. Forest Service inventories conducted in Iowa.