LAND CONVERSION

Loss of farmland is a major problem in Michigan and elsewhere.  Every day, acres of agricultural land is converted over to other uses, such as housing, suburban development, and highways.  In the image below, the remains of a small grove of trees (now a pile of wood chips) and the old farmhouse (green walls, boarded windows) are yielding to the development of a new bank/shopping center.  The site is Meridian Township, east of Lansing. 
chipping_wood.jpg (222844 bytes)

Source:  Photograph by Randy Schaetzl, Professor of Geography - Michigan State University

As of the late 1990's, TEN ACRES of farmland was being lost to development every hour of every day.  That's a square mile lost to development every 2.6 days!  Farmland conversion occurs because of a vicious cycle, shown below:
cycle_of_farmland_conversion.JPG (28912 bytes)

Source: Central Michigan University

landuse-change-proj.jpg (75468 bytes)
This "placemat" map was produced by the Michigan Geographic Alliance and the Science/Mathematics/Technology Center, Central Michigan University, with funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education. For further information email Wayne.E.Kiefer@cmich.edu

It’s projected that in 20 years, farmland acres in Michigan will be reduced from the current level of 10.1 million acres to between 8.1 and 8.6 million acres, according to the DNR. 
landuse-chng-proj-pie.jpg (122569 bytes)
This "placemat" map was produced by the Michigan Geographic Alliance and the Science/Mathematics/Technology Center, Central Michigan University, with funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education. For further information email Wayne.E.Kiefer@cmich.edu


farmland82-92.JPG (83424 bytes)
This "placemat" map was produced by the Michigan Geographic Alliance and the Science/Mathematics/Technology Center, Central Michigan University, with funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education. For further information email Wayne.E.Kiefer@cmich.edu


The two maps below, on a county basis, the loss of farmland in Michigan over two different timescales.  Note the different patterns for these different time periods.
map_of_farmland_acreage_loss_1954-92.JPEG (42513 bytes)  farmland_acreage_loss_1987-92.JPG (41268 bytes)

Source: Michigan Trend Futures Report, Michigan Society of Planning, 1997

In order to get a feeling for the tremendous loss of farmland to urban and other uses, view the two images (of the same area) below, both of which were produced by the Michigan Geographic Alliance and the Science/Mathematics/Technology Center, Central Michigan University, with funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education. For further information email Wayne.E.Kiefer@cmich.edu

shelbytnshp-macombco80.jpeg (260927 bytes)

shelbytnshp-macombco95.jpeg (299693 bytes)


Here's another look at this pattern for Williamston township (just east of Okemos):
williamston_township_1930.JPG (61463 bytes)

Source: State of Michigan


Notice the large land parcels in the 1930 map above, most of which are farms.  By 1989, most of these farms had been subdivided into small parcels, for housing.

williamston_township_1989.JPG (58790 bytes)

Source: State of Michigan

urbanization.jpeg (242409 bytes)
This "placemat" map was produced by the Michigan Geographic Alliance and the Science/Mathematics/Technology Center, Central Michigan University, with funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education. For further information email Wayne.E.Kiefer@cmich.edu

 

rural-farm-map.jpeg (198227 bytes)rural-nonfarm-map.jpeg (199112 bytes)

 

farmland-risk.jpg (80618 bytes) 
This "placemat" map was produced by the Michigan Geographic Alliance and the Science/Mathematics/Technology Center, Central Michigan University, with funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education. For further information email Wayne.E.Kiefer@cmich.edu

conversion_from_rural_to_residential_land_use.JPG (68679 bytes)

Source: Michigan Trend Futures Report, Michigan Society of Planning, 1997

Can you find any pattern in the locations of the "at risk" areas?  What types of current land use are they all near?

This material has been compiled for educational use only, and may not be reproduced without permission.  One copy may be printed for personal use.  Please contact Randall Schaetzl (soils@msu.edu) for more information or permissions.