• Capen, David
  University of Vermont
  

Land ownership patterns are changing in the Northern Forest of New England, with many traditional forest lands being sold to investment organizations that have little interest in long-term forest management. These changes increase the likelihood that forest lands will be subdivided and developed, especially in sensitive areas like lakeshore zones and mountain ridges. With conservation funds limited, land-protection efforts in the Northern Forest must thus focus on the most important areas for maintaining biological diversity and landscape heterogeneity. It is also necessary to safeguard the economic and cultural traditions of the region by keeping the most productive forest lands in active management. The process of identifying key segments of the landscape for ultimate conservation is called ecological reserve design.