Loss of bottomland hardwood forests and forested wetlands in the Cache River Basin, Arkansas

Data related to forest cover in the Cache River Basin, Arkansas, USA were collected and analyzed to quantify changes in forest cover since 1935. Forest cover loss during the period 1935 to 1987 was characterized using data derived from aerial photography, historical map products, and Landsat satellite multispectral imagery. Forest cover in the basin declined from 65% to 15% over the 52-year period (a loss of 108,000 ha of forest cover). There was little change in forest cover between 1975 and 1987. Remaining forest stands in the basin are fragmented and small in size. Comparing forest-stand data with Soil Conservation Service data revealed that 90% of the forest loss in the southern half of the basin occurred in hydric soil areas, thus indicating a significant loss of forested wetlands.