Abstract

Residential development outside of urban areas has increased in recent decades throughout the United States. This exurban development has redefined landscape patterns and the structure and composition of forest communities. A combination of aerial photography and field sampling were used to compare canopy cover, tree density, diameter distribution, species richness, and fuel loading in developed and undeveloped sites in the central Sierra Nevada of California. Analysis of current and historic aerial photography indicated a decrease in forest cover of 47.4 percent following development. Field sampling indicated significantly lower tree density in the developed area compared to the undeveloped area, as well as lower species richness, and less downed woody debris. The density of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. murrayana) was higher in the developed areas compared to the undeveloped area, with a reduction of all other tree species.