How much forest is there?

Human population in the region has increased sharply since the 1600's. During this same time period, forest area has decreased as land has been cleared for agriculture, housing and other purposes. In the future, human population levels will likely continue to increase, and the forest will be required to meet additional demands for resources as well as facing increasing levels of fragmentation as more land is developed. Currently, the total forest area in the North Central Region is 74 million acres.