Tree regrowth duration map from LCMAP collection 1.0 land cover products in the conterminous United States, 1985–2017

Forest covers about one-third of the land area conterminous United States (CONUS) and plays an important role in offsetting carbon emissions supporting local economies. Growing interest forests as relatively cost-effective nature-based climate solutions, particularly restoration reforestation activities has increased demand for information on forest regrowth recovery following natural anthropogenic disturbances (e.g. fire, harvest, or thinning). However, a wall-to-wall mapping CONUS tree duration at annual time interval 30-m resolution is still challenging. In this study, we utilized cover products to develop dataset quantify over 1985–2017. The data used derive map from primary product U.S. Geological Survey’s Land Change Monitoring, Assessment, Projection (LCMAP) collection. LCMAP all available Landsat images detect classify Grass/Shrub Tree Cover transitions basis. average was then calculated each pixel. validated using human-interpreted reference that were collected independently. validation results show 1 year underestimation 6-year standard deviation error between map. southeastern CONUS, where major have been observed, our showed higher accuracy with less than one-year bias 3.6 years error. southeast took around 5 recover, which faster other regions CONUS. Many pixels had multiple during 33-year study period region. spatial pattern indicated intense harvesting Pacific Northwest coast region second main regrowth, but often decades recover. Given increasing can be assess well disturbance harvesting.