Massachusetts Historical Landcover and Census Data 1640-1999

An appreciation of historical landuse and its effects is crucial when interpreting the structure, composition, and spatial characteristics of modern forests. The Harvard Forest has compiled many different historical data sources in an ongoing effort to understand how anthropogenic disturbances have shaped our modern landscapes. Estimates of town land use and land cover were gathered from a variety of sources, including tax valuations (1801-1860) and state agricultural census records (1865-1905). Data prior to 1801 rarely cover the entire state and are excluded from these datasets. Data on forest structure are available for several time periods, including 1885 and 1895 (Agricultural Censuses) and 1916-1920s (State Forester’s reports).