Is there persistence of greening? Is the forest composition and size changing? Is land use/land cover changing? What is the impact of climate change, and can this impact be separated from other impacts? Is human impact on the forest increasing?
Human impact on nature tends to increase with population growth and development. What is the impact on the mixed New England Forest – at least, what impact can be detected via satellite processing? One aspect not yet considered could be very interesting: how have temperatures changed over time, and is there a corresponding, statistically measurable, forest change over time.
My beginning work in spring 2017 suggests, interestingly, that forest cover, while increasing and decreasing in small areas, remains relatively stable or at a slight increase in the area. I would like to further explore this. My work also suggests forest composition change, and I am wondering to what degree I can characterize that change via satellite work. Finally, I would like to explore to what degree forest fragmentation might be occurring. I will work with the peer-reviewed literature to find techniques and studies I can use for models, retest, or extend.
The work is exploratory, is largely for the purpose of my learning and for honing my professional skills. I do intend that I produce one or more answers of value that I can share with colleagues and with my internship site in New Hampshire.