Major Landuses and Trends in Kentucky

Kentucky’s Major Land Uses & Trends

From 1982 through 1997

• From 1982 to 1997, total agricultural land (cropland, pastureland, forestland, and CRP land) decreased from 86.4 percent of the total land and water area in the state to 84.5 percent.
• Cropland has decreased about 12.7 percent from 1982 to 1997, from 5.93 million acres down to 5.18 million acres - a decrease of 756,000 acres.
• Pastureland has decreased about 4.6 percent from 1982 to 1997, from 5.96 million acres down to 5.69 million acres - a decrease of 273,900 acres.
• Forestland has increased about 1 percent from 1982 to 1997, from 10.44 million acres up to 10.67 million acres - an increase if 222,500 acres.
• The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was initiated in 1985. In 1987 there were 203,600 acres in the CRP and increased to 423,100 acres in 1992. In 1997 there were 332,200 acres in CRP.
• In Kentucky, urbanization has caused a large land use change. In 1982, there were 1.15 million acres of urban areas and roads. In 1997, this increased to 1.74 million acres, an increase of 592,200 acres of urban and roads over the 15-year period. In 1997, 6.7 percent of the state is now urban/built-up and roads. This increase is a 52 percent growth in urban and road areas over the 15-year period.
• Federal land increased from 1.10 million acres in 1982 to 1.18 million acres in 1997 - an increase of 90,400 acres.
• Water acres in Kentucky increased from 584,000 acres in 1982 to 611,000 acres in 1997 - an increase of 27,700 acres.
• Other land uses decreased from 700,000 acres in 1982 to 464,000 acres in 1997 - a decrease of 235,100 acres. This category includes farmsteads, surface mining for coal, quarries, tree plantations, etc.

< Back to NRI Findings ...