Date of Award:
5-2026
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Applied Economics
Committee Chair(s)
Man Li
Committee
Man Li
Committee
Arthur Caplan
Committee
Christopher Lant
Abstract
Land can broadly be classified based on human use and natural characteristics into categories such as cropland, pastureland, urban areas, forests, shrubland, and wetlands. Each type of land has a different capacity to store carbon, and forests play a dominant role. In Utah, economic incentives, urban growth, and population increase are driving shifts in these land-use categories. Using data on agricultural revenue, land values, environmental characteristics, and satellite-based carbon information from the past decade, this study examines how land use may change over the next two decades. The findings suggest a substantial expansion of urban areas, accompanied by declines in forest, agricultural, and pasture lands. As a result, the region is likely to experience a reduction in its carbon storage capacity. This decline may have negative consequences for regional biodiversity and contribute to global climate change. However, the study also shows that forest conservation can be achieved at a reasonable cost, helping to maintain carbon storage while supporting sustainable land management. These insights can support more informed land-use decisions in rapidly growing regions.
Recommended Citation
Kabir, Md Khan Shajidul, "Projected Land-Use Change in Northern Utah: Its Implication on Above- and Below-Ground Biomass Carbon" (2026). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present. 802.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd2023/802
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