In just over fifty years...

The Acapesket region of Falmouth, MA was transformed from primarily forest and agricultural land to a highly developed grid of subdivisions and roads.

What's At Stake

Adding it up

• Between 1950 and 1990, Massachusetts' population increased 28 percent, but land development increased 188 percent.

• Massachusetts is the third most densely populated state in the U.S.

• Between 1982 and 1997, Massachusetts lost the highest percentage of forest in the U.S.

• Each day, more than 40 acres of land-an area the size of the Boston Common-is lost to development and an additional 40 acres of land surrounding the development is adversely affected.

• One in five native species in the Commonwealth is considered threatened, endangered, or of special concern.

• 75 percent of at-risk native species live on private land.

Aerial Photographs provided by the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence at the Massachusetts Military Reservation.