-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        USGS News Release: New Perspectives on Urban Land Use Change
Date:   Wed, 27 Dec 2006 14:44:38 -0500
From:   Jennifer LaVista <[log in to unmask]>
To:     MAPS-L


*News Release*

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey


For release: December 27, 2006
Contact: Jonathan H. Smith, 703 648-4516, [log in to unmask]


*As Population Grows, So Do Urban Areas*

*New Perspectives on Urban Land Use Change*

Over 300 million Americans have to live somewhere. And, of course, we
do. Nearly 80 percent of the growing U.S. population resides in urban
areas while the land area dedicated to urban use continues to expand.

A new USGS publication /–/ /Rate, Trends, Causes, and Consequences of
Urban Land-Use Change in the United States (Professional Paper 1726) –
/studies the change in land use associated with increasing urbanization
and its impacts at local, regional, and national scales. Based on the
broad view of satellite imagery, the twenty scientific contributions
that make up the publication examine urban land change in the United
States from many perspectives /– /historical, geographic, economic, and
ecological. Together the analyses provide new insights into critical
issues of concern for both science and society.

“The knowledge of how and why urban land-use change occurs coupled with
a projection of its direction and likely effect can be helpful in
informing local, regional, and national decisions about land use,” said
Barbara Ryan, Associate USGS Director for Geography. “These public
decisions will not only shape communities, but will substantially affect
citizens’ lives and livelihood, the economy, and the environment for
years to come.”

As part of its mission to describe and understand the Earth, the USGS
systematically monitors land surface change by observing the Earth with
remote sensing satellites, studies the connections between people and
those changes with geographic analysis, and provides individuals and
society with relevant science information they can use to manage the
consequences of those changes.

An online version of /Professional Paper 1726 /is available at:
http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp1726/ .
Printed copies are available on request from USGS for $16 plus a $5
handling fee.
Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS
Mail: USGS; P.O. Box 25286; Denver, CO 80225

The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information
to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property
from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral
resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

To receive USGS news releases go to _www.usgs.gov/public/list_server.html_

**** www.usgs.gov ****


Jennifer LaVista
Public Affairs Specialist
U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Communications
703-648-4432
Email: [log in to unmask]