Description
Wet and warm climate, mountainous topography, and deep rich soils produced one of the most magnificent and diverse temperate fores ts in the world. In 1650 the Mid-Atlantic forests covered 95 percent of t he region, but were greatly reduced in 1900 by extensive tree harvesting, and conversion to farms and pastures. Settlement of forests also le d to severe wildfires, soil erosion, and destruction of wildlife. Recovery b egan in the early 1900s, and later improvements in agricultural allowed millions of acres to return to forest cover. Suppression of catastrophic wildfires reduced flooding and watershed degradation, and wildlife management returned native animal and fish populations. Forest management improvements led again to productive and diverse forests in more mature stages of development.
