Mapping the Land Uses of the United States

Iman Gosh shares a set of maps recently published by the McHarg Center that puts U.S. land use in perspective.

"The '2100 Project: An Atlas for the Green New Deal' provides a snapshot of U.S. land use (as of 2017), aimed at managing resources to support this future," explains Gosh. Here's how the maps break down the country's land use by type:

• Forests (27%)
• Shrubland (24%)
• Agriculture (17%)
• Grasslands and Pasture (17%)
• Wetlands (5%)
• Other (3%)
• Urban Areas (2%)

A few of Gosh's takeaways from the map include the outsized influence of urban areas, the vast footprint of forests, and some specifics about where the country grows its food.

"The U.S. population is set to grow by 100 million more people over the coming decades, raising the pressure on limited U.S. land and natural resources. This pressure will be felt everywhere, from dense urban land to agricultural farmland," concludes Gosh, with a message about the future of land use.