Spatial heterogeneity and socioeconomic patterns: Identifying the impact of urban center on forest fragmentation

Forest, one of the most important natural resources, has been degraded in both quantity and quality due to the insensive human activities. This research identified the relationship between spatial pattern of forest and socioeconomic drivers in southern New Hampshire. The results indicated that house density was the most important factor in contributing to the forest fragmentation. The area-related fragmentation was influenced largely by the distance and size of nearby cities while the shape-related fragmentation was caused collectively by multiple socioeconomic variables. This research provides a case study to understand the spatial variation of forest and understand the socioeconomic drivers of forest transition.