The farmland conversion process in a polynucleated metropolis

The conversion of farmland to urban land uses is analyzed for a study area on the fringe of Chicago (USA) for the period between 1975 and 1990. Several geographic information system databases are developed to examine the amount and quality of farmland being lost to urban development. The results show that “edge cities” are redefining the landscapes of the urban fringe where low-density residential uses are replacing prime farmland at a rapid rate. A national-level database is used to compare the Chicago area results with other large urban areas of the USA's Midwest. Most large cities of the Midwest reveal a similar pattern of development replacing prime farmland on the urban fringe.