Georgia’s Land: Its Use and Condition

Natural Resources Conservation Service - National Resources Inventory

Fourth Edition
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

April 2019• 4th Printing

Suggested Citation: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2016. Georgia’s Land: Its Use and Condition Fourth Edition, Natural 

Resources Conservation Service, Athens, GA, and Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology, 

Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

United States Department of Agriculture 

Natural Resources Conservation Service

For over 80 years, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been a 

pioneer in conservation, working with landowners, local and state governments, 

and other federal agencies to maintain healthy and productive working 

landscapes.

Congress passed Public Law 74-46, April 27, 1935, in which it recognized that 

"...the wastage of soil and moisture resources on farm, grazing, and forest lands ... 

is a menace to the national welfare," and it directed the Secretary of Agriculture 

to establish the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) as a permanent agency in the 

USDA. In 1994, Congress changed SCS’s name to the NRCS to better reflect the 

broadened scope of the agency’s concerns.

Photo credits:

All photographs are by NRCS personnel except: the cover - Atlanta skyline by Arashboz, via 

Wikimedia Commons; P. iii - Bostwick farm by Farm Heritage, Inc; P.14 - salt marsh by Eamonn 

Leonard, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia DNR; P.15 - organic farm by www.streamwerx.com 

Dedication

This publication is dedicated to the men and women of the Soil Conservation 

Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and partners who have served as 

NRI field data collectors. Your expertise and diligent efforts throughout the years 

have made this publication possible.

For more information contact the Georgia NRCS state office at 706-546-2272.

Helping People Help The Land
iii

“...civilization itself rests upon the soil.” - Thomas Jefferson

Since the founding of the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service and the Georgia Soil and 

Water Conservation Districts, our conservation 

partnership has relied on sound science and 

locally led conservation to guide more than 80 

years of conservation success. The lessons learned 

and the successes achieved are the result of 

fruitful cooperation that continues today. This 

publication represents one more example of this 

cooperation.

In order to plan for the future, we have to know 

the past. That is why we are excited about the 

release of this fourth edition of Georgia’s Land: Its 

Use and Condition. This publication, a result of the 

National Resources Inventory program, reports 

how our use of the land has changed since 1982. 

It presents data identifying trends the public and 

decision makers can use to guide the direction of 

our future conservation efforts. 

Of the many stories told by the data, one that 

stands out is while it took 250 years to develop 

2.3 million acres of Georgia’s land into urban use, 

we have doubled that acreage in the 30 years from 

1982 to 2012. 

Another story that stands out is the net reduction 

of cropland by 2.6 million acres during the same 

30 year period. This translates into less Georgia 

acreage available to produce food and fiber to help 

sustain the needs of a growing world population. 

Through the 80 years of our conservation 

partnership, we have collaborated with farmers and 

other landusers to promote good stewardship of 

our soil and water resources. With responsiveness 

to challenges resulting from changing land uses 

and with ongoing support for conservation efforts, 

Georgia will continue to be a major provider for the 

future needs of our nation and world. We hope you 

will find this publication informative and share it 

with others. It is our hope that readers will better 

understand the use and condition of our land 

resource and the importance of wise stewardship.

Terrance O. Rudolph, State Conservationist

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 

Dan Bennett, President

Georgia Association of Conservation Districts

i

Our Land – Our Future
ii

The NRI is not a census 

of each acre of land, but 

is a statistical analysis of 

land use and resource 

conditions on non-federal 

lands in the United States. 

In Georgia, NRI data is 

collected on 23,160 point 

locations within 7,928 

sample segments across 

the state which provides 

statistically reliable data 

at the state level. Margins 

of error for statistical 

estimates are provided in 

the appendix of data tables. 

NRI data is compiled, analyzed, and released 

nationally every five years. The release date for 

the data in this document was October 2015.

The NRI’s basic data themes are trends in 

land use, irrigation, prime farmland, soil 

erosion, and wetlands. In order to develop a 

more complete picture of Georgia’s land and 

surface water resource condition, NRI data has 

been supplemented with other data sources 

in some sections of this document. These 

additional sources of data, such as the USDA 

National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA 

Forest Service, and the U.S. Census Bureau, are 

referenced where used.

NRI data for the nation and information on data 

gathering procedures are available online at: 

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/nri/.

A useful compilation of NRI information and 

other agencies’ data is at the Soil and Water 

Resources Conservation Act data viewer:

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/rca/.

The fourth edition of 

Georgia’s Land: Its Use and 

Condition presents 30 years 

of results from the National 

Resources Inventory (NRI). 

The NRI is conducted by 

the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural 

Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS), in 

cooperation with Iowa 

State University’s Center 

for Survey Statistics and 

Methodology. Land users, 

researchers, and the general 

public will find primary data 

and analysis regarding the status, condition, 

and trends of Georgia’s land and surface water 

resources. The report is of particular interest 

for decision makers who plan and implement 

policies addressing resource concerns. 

The NRI is uniquely suited to examine land use 

trends because:

• data has been collected on the same

randomly selected sites since 1982 

• it assigns 100 percent of surface area to 

unique, mutually exclusive broad cover/use 

categories

• it is easy to track lands as they change from

one land use category to another 

• most data collection definitions and 

protocols have remained consistent for 30 

years

• protocols that have changed, such as 

erosion calculations, have been calibrated 

to results from previous years

National Resources Inventory

ii

Example of 160 acre sample segment 

containing three subsample points.
iii iii

Georgia’s Land: Its Use and Condition

Fourth Edition 2016

Table of Contents

 Page

Georgia Land and Surface Water Resource 1 

Statewide Land Use 1982 to 2012 3

Cropland 1982 to 2012 5

Prime Farmland and its Use 1982 to 2012 7

Agricultural Soil Erosion 1982 to 2012 8

Forest 1982 to 2012 9

Conservation Reserve Program 11

Pasture 1982 to 2012 12

Developed Land 1982 to 2012 13

Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats 14

Conclusions 15

References 16

Appendix: Data Tables 17

Topic
Georgia Land and Surface Water Resource

1

Pasture, water, and other rural land (farm headquarters) 

in the Southern Piedmont.

Elevation and Terrain

Elevation and terrain affect the character of 

Georgia’s land resource and its potential uses 

(Figure 1). The diverse terrain of the state ranges 

from the mountainous region of north Georgia, 

across the rolling hills of the piedmont, to the 

broad, nearly level coastal regions. Elevations range 

from 4,784 feet at Brasstown Bald Mountain to 

sea level along the Atlantic Ocean coastline (USDI 

2009).

Major Land Resource Areas

Eight major land resource areas (MLRAs) occur 

in Georgia (Figure 1). MLRAs possess similar 

characteristics and are important for statewide, 

regional, and national planning. Criteria for MLRA 

delineation include physiography, geology, climate, 

water resources, soils, biological resources, and land 

use (USDA 2006). MLRAs in Georgia are: Southern 

Appalachian Ridges and Valleys; Sand Mountain; 

Southern Blue Ridge; Southern Coastal Plain; 

Southern Piedmont; Carolina and Georgia Sand 

Hills; Atlantic Coast Flatwoods; and Tidewater Area. 

Soils

Soils vary across the state due to effects of five 

soil-forming factors: parent material, relief, climate, 

organisms, and time. The Southern Piedmont 

contains relatively more developed soils, while 

comparatively less developed soils occur in the 

Atlantic Coast Flatwoods and in active floodplains 

across the state. Different soils contribute to each 

MLRA’s overall character. Each soil has properties 

that determine appropriate uses. Of particular 

importance is suitability for agriculture. The best 

land for agricultural use is called prime farmland, 

which is discussed further on page 7. 

The Surface Water Resource

Surface water resources within Georgia’s watersheds include rivers and associated tributaries, 

natural open water areas, and manmade water 

impoundments. Georgia is part of two major 

watershed basins on either side of the eastern 

continental divide (Figure 1). Most of the eastern 

part of the state drains into the Atlantic Ocean. 

Northern and western areas drain to the Gulf of 

Mexico. About 52 percent drains into the Atlantic 

Ocean and 48 percent drains into the Gulf of 

Mexico. 

Cropland and forest in the Southern Blue Ridge.
2

Figure 1: Elevation, Terrain, Major Land Resource Areas (MLRAs) and Major Surface Waters. 
Statewide Land Use 1982 to 2012

2012 Use and Distribution

The NRI found that Georgia’s four largest land uses 

were forest, developed land, cropland, and pasture 

in 2012 (Figure 2a). These four land uses accounted 

for 88 percent of Georgia’s total surface area of 

37,740,500 acres.* Federal land, water, and other 

rural land accounted for the remaining acreage. 

Federal land is a land ownership category that is 

excluded from NRI land use classification. Water is 

Figure 2: Surface area percentages in broad land use 

categories. (a) 2012 (b) 1982.

1982 to 2012 Trends

Cropland and developed land accounted for the 

largest net changes statewide in land use during 

the period 1982 to 2012 (Figure 2). Acreage 

of developed land steadily increased until it 

exceeded cropland acreage around 2004 (Figure 

3). By 2012, developed land had doubled from 

the amount reported in 1982. The net acreage 

of cropland steadily decreased in the same time 

3

Figure 3: Cropland and developed land trends from 

1982 to 2012. 

a category consisting of permanent open water 

bodies and streams. Other rural land includes 

an assortment of miscellaneous land uses and 

land types such as farm headquarters, quarries, 

beaches, marshes, and rock outcrops. 

Distribution of land uses varied by MLRA. Forest 

accounted for the greatest percentage of land use 

in every MLRA with the exception of the Tidewater 

Area with its high percentage of marshland and 

open water. The Southern Coastal Plain was the 

MLRA with the highest percentage of cropland. 

Percentage of pasture was highest in the Southern 

Piedmont and Southern Appalachian Ridges and 

Valleys. Over half of developed land in the state 

was in the Southern Piedmont.

*The NRI total acreage does not include the approximately 300,000 acres of territorial waters which are included in U.S. Census data.

(b) 1982

(a) 2012
4

Figure 4: Exchanges among Georgia’s four largest land use categories from 1982 to 

2012. M = million acres.

period, although only a portion of the cropland 

acreage decrease could be attributed to direct 

conversion to developed land. 

Generalized exchanges among the largest four 

land uses are shown in figure 4. There were active 

exchanges in and out of the cropland category, 

which resulted in a significant net acreage 

decrease. There were also active exchanges in 

and out of the forest and pasture categories, even 

though the net acreages in each category stayed 

roughly the same. Change to developed land was 

essentially one-way. Once land is converted to 

developed land, it rarely changes back. Most of 

the cropland acreage decrease was accounted 

for by change to forest and pasture use. Most 

of the developed land acreage increase was 

accounted for by conversion from forest.

Water, which accounts for a smaller, yet 

important portion of the state, saw a significant 

increase due primarily to construction of 

water impoundments. In 2012, surface water 

resources totaled about 1.1 million acres, which 

was a 15 percent increase from 1982. Other 

rural land saw an increase in the inventory 

period as well.
Cropland 1982 to 2012

5

2012 Use and Distribution

In 2012, about 4.2 million acres were used for 

cropland (Figure 5). The NRI classifies cropland 

as either cultivated cropland or non-cultivated 

cropland. Cultivated cropland includes row crops 

such as cotton and peanuts, and close grown crops 

such as wheat and rye. Non-cultivated cropland 

includes perennial crops such as pecans and 

blueberries. Of the total 2012 acreage, about 3.6 

million acres were used for cultivated crops. About 

610,000 acres were used for non-cultivated crops.

As illustrated in figure 6, percentage of land used 

for cropland in 2012 varied significantly by MLRAs 

across the state. The Southern Coastal Plain (133A) 

had the most cropland at about 3.3 million acres. 

This is 23.2 percent of the MLRA’s total area in 

Georgia. There were also significant portions of 

cropland in the Atlantic Coast Flatwoods (153A), 

the Southern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys 

(128), and the Carolina and Georgia Sand Hills 

(137) at 7.2 percent, 5.8 percent, and 5.5 percent 

respectively. The Southern Piedmont (136) had 

2.0 percent and the Southern Blue Ridge (130B) 

0.6 percent. The Tidewater Area (153B) and Sand 

Mountain (129) contained essentially no cropland. 

Irrigated peanuts on cultivated cropland in the Southern 

Coastal Plain.

Figure 5: Cropland acres from 1982 to 2012.

Figure 6: Distribution of cropland by MLRA. Percentage 

of MLRA surface area in cropland.

1982 to 2012 Trends

During the period 1982 to 2012, net cropland 

acreage decreased more than any other land 

use (Figure 5). Cultivated cropland accounted for 

the entire decrease in acreage. In 1982, about 6.2 

million acres were used for cultivated cropland, 

declining to about 3.6 million acres in 2012. During 

the same period, non-cultivated cropland increased 

in acreage from about 430,000 to 610,000. All 

MLRAs saw a net decrease in cropland, with the 

Southern Coastal Plain’s decrease of about 1.7 

million acres the largest. Cropland acreage steadily 

decreased throughout the first 20 years, then 

stabilized during the last 10 years of reporting.
6

Crops Planted in Georgia

Acreages of the specific crops grown changed 

significantly during the inventory period. Figure 

7 shows acreage of the top five cultivated 

commodity crops planted from 1982 to 2012. 

Cotton acreage increased by a factor of seven, 

while soybean acreage decreased by a factor of 

15. Soybeans accounted for the most acreage 

planted in 1982 with about 2.4 million acres but 

accounted for the least with about 160,000 acres 

by 2012. Cotton accounted for the least acreage of 

the top five crops in 1982 with about 240,000 acres 

but the most in 2012 with about 1.8 million acres. 

Corn was second in acreage in 1982 with about 1.5 

million acres but declined to about 390,000 acres 

by 2012. Peanuts showed an increase from about 

560,000 acres in 1982 to about 690,000 acres in 

2012. Wheat declined from about 580,000 acres in 

1982 to about 210,000 acres in 2012. 

Commodity crops account for the majority of 

cultivated cropland acreage in Georgia, but other 

crops occupying less land have a large influence 

on the state’s agricultural economy. Tobacco 

accounted for about 70,000 acres in 1982 but 

decreased to only about 6,000 acres by 2012. 

Vegetables and melons are combined into one 

category by the NRI and totaled about 120,000 

acres in 2012, increasing from about 60,000 in 

1982. According to the National Agricultural 

Statistics Service’s (NASS) 2012 Census of 

Agriculture, sweet corn, watermelons, onions, 

snap beans, and cucumbers were the top crops in 

this category, ranked by harvested acreage (USDA 

2014). 

Non-cultivated crops are 

combined by the NRI into 

general categories such as 

nuts, bush fruit, orchard, and 

vineyard. Non-cultivated 

cropland in the 2012 NRI 

was about 610,000 acres, an 

increase of about 180,000 acres 

from 1982. The NASS 2012 

Census of Agriculture reported 

specific non-cultivated crops. 

It listed pecans, blueberries, 

peaches, grapes, and apples as 

the top non-cultivated crops, 

ranked by harvested acreage. 

Figure 7: Acres of specific cultivated commodity crops planted from 1982 to 2012.

Pecan orchard, an example of non-cultivated cropland, in 

the Southern Coastal Plain.
Prime Farmland and its Use 1982 to 2012

7

Prime Farmland 

Prime farmland, as defined by USDA, is land with 

the best combination of physical and chemical 

characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, 

fiber, and oilseed crops and that is available for 

such uses (USDA 2016a). Such land produces 

highest yields with a minimum investment of 

conservation practices, energy, and other inputs. 

In 2012, NRI reported about 7 million acres of 

prime farmland in Georgia. According to NRCS 

gridded soil survey geographic (gSSURGO) data 

the Southern Coastal Plain (133A), Southern 

Appalachian Ridges and Valleys (128), Southern 

Piedmont (136) and Carolina and Georgia Sand 

Hills (137) MLRAs had the highest concentrations 

of prime farmland (USDA 2016b). Sand Mountain 

(129), Atlantic Coast Flatwoods (153A), Southern 

Blue Ridge (130B) and Tidewater Area (153B) had 

the lowest concentrations (Figure 8). 

Use of Prime Farmland

Total prime farmland acreage decreased about 

550,000 acres during the 30 year inventory period. 

Almost all of the decrease in prime farmland 

acreage was due to irreversible 

conversion to developed land. 

Land use of the remaining 

prime farmland acreage trended 

strongly away from cultivated 

cropland and toward forest 

(Figure 9). Cultivated cropland 

was the only use of prime 

farmland that decreased during 

the period, while use of prime 

farmland for forest increased the 

most of any category. Although 

relatively small in acreage, the 

percentage of non-cultivated 

cropland on prime farmland 

increased significantly. Pasture 

accounted for only slightly more 

acreage of prime farmland in 

2012 than in 1982. 

Figure 8: Distribution of prime farmland by MLRA. 

Percent of gSSURGO soil map units of each MLRA rated 

as prime (USDA 2016b).

Figure 9: Prime farmland use from 1982 to 2012.
Agricultural Soil Erosion 1982 to 2012

8

Soil erosion is a natural process caused by water, 

wind, and other forces. Some soil erosion is 

inevitable, but it becomes a major threat when 

it exceeds soil loss tolerance levels* that support 

sustained crop productivity. Soil erosion results in 

loss of soil organic matter and fertility, increased 

runoff, less available soil moisture, and increased 

sediment deposits downstream. 

An estimated 20.4 million tons of soil loss occurred 

due to sheet and rill erosion on Georgia’s 3.6 

million acres of cultivated cropland in 2012 (Figure 

10). This represents a significant reduction when 

compared to an estimated 34.8 million tons in 

1982. However, this was primarily due to the 

reduction in cultivated cropland acreage from 6.2 

million acres in 1982 to 3.6 million in 2012, rather 

than a reduction in the rate of soil loss. 

The average annual rate of soil loss on cultivated 

cropland in Georgia was 5.7 tons/acre/year in 2012. 

This is slightly higher than the 5.6 tons/acre/year 

reported in 1982. However, between 1982 and 

2012 the soil loss rates reduced, reaching a low 

point in 1992 at 4.8 tons/acre/year before rising 

again (Figure 11).

Other land uses showed lower rates of erosion 

than cultivated cropland. Pasture and noncultivated cropland averaged 0.5 tons/acre/

year over the 30 years of NRI. Lands enrolled in 

the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which 

is fully discussed on page 11, had an initial rate 

of erosion of 4.4 tons/acre/year. However, rates 

rapidly declined on CRP lands after being planted 

to permanent vegetation and stabilized to an 

average of 0.5 tons/acre/year during the last 20 

years of the inventory period. These lower rates 

of erosion demonstrate the soil-holding ability 

of perennial and/or close growing vegetation as 

opposed to cultivated cropland.

Soil loss estimates currently are calculated using 

on-site data and the Revised Universal Soil Loss 

Equation (RUSLE2), a guide for making methodical 

decisions in conservation planning and practice 

application (USDA 2013). The Universal Soil Loss 

Equation (USLE) was used during the first 25 years 

(Wischmeier 1978). Erosion estimates do not 

represent sediment yield, which is the amount of 

soil that enters streams, rivers, and lakes. NRI only 

estimates erosion on cropland, pasture, and CRP 

land. Wind erosion is not considered a significant 

problem in Georgia and is not measured by NRI.

Figure 10: Total tons of soil lost from 1982 to 2012.

Figure 11: Erosion rate (tons/acre/year) from 1982 to 

2012 on agricultural land uses.

*Soil loss tolerance levels, as determined by NRCS, range from one to five tons/acre/year depending on the soils (USDA 2016a).
Forest 1982 to 2012

9

2012 Use and Distribution

Forest was the largest land use in all years of the 

inventory. In 2012, non-federal forest covered 21.8 

million acres, or 57.8 percent of the state’s surface 

area (Figure 12). Forest is defined in the inventory 

as land with at least 25 percent tree canopy not 

used for nut or fruit orchards. Forest includes 

cutover land where forest trees are regenerating.

Distribution of forest in the state’s MLRAs is 

explained in figure 13. Sand Mountain (129) had 

the highest concentration of non-federal forest 

reported in the NRI at 81.4 percent. The lowest 

concentration of forest was the Tidewater Area 

(153B) at 20.1 percent.

In some areas, interpreting NRI forest values is 

complicated because NRI excludes federal land 

from its land use classification. For instance, nonfederal forest acreage in the Southern Blue Ridge 

(130B) was 750,000 acres (44.6 percent) in 2012. 

However, another 650,000 acres (38.4 percent) in 

130B was federally owned. A dominant portion 

of this federal land was in forest, but exactly how 

much was not inventoried. 

1982 to 2012 Trends

The total acreage of non-federal forest stayed 

nearly the same. It was 22.1 million acres in 

1982 and 21.8 million acres in 2012. While the 

total acreage of forest stayed almost the same, 

there have been large changes in the location 

and nature of forest in the state. The conversion 

of 1.7 million acres of forest to developed land 

almost equaled the planting of 1.6 million acres of 

cropland or pasture to pine plantations. 

Slash and longleaf pine forest in the Atlantic Coast 

Flatwoods.

Figure 12: Non-federal forest acreage from 1982 to 2012.

Figure 13: Distribution of non-federal forest by MLRA. 

Percentage of MLRA surface area in non-federal forest.
10

Forest Type and Management 

Georgia is home to about 250 species of trees 

according to the Georgia Forestry Commission 

(Bishop 2001). The Forest Inventory and Analysis 

(FIA) program of the USDA Forest Service groups 

these trees by forest type which are shown in 

figure 14 (Brandeis 2016). Pine is at least partly 

dominant in 56 percent of the forests and wholly 

dominant in 45 percent. Loblolly-shortleaf pine 

accounts for the single largest group. The longleafslash pine group is largely a planted group. Over 

the inventory period the trend has changed from 

primarily planting slash pine to an increased 

interest in restoring longleaf pine. Oak species are 

a major component of all the other forest type 

groups. The largest of these others is oak-hickory. 

The oak-gum-cypress is the wettest with some of 

its members able to grow in standing water. 

Georgia’s pine forests have become more highly 

managed over the inventory period. Figure 15 

shows the trends of naturally regenerated and 

planted pine stands from 1972 to 2014. Planted 

stands increased by about 4.1 million acres while 

naturally regenerated stands decreased by about 

5.2 million acres. According to other data from 

the FIA program, hardwood species displayed 

declining net growth during the period.

Figure 15: FIA measured trends of natural or planted 

pine stands’ area from 1972 to 2014 (Brandeis 2016).

Hardwood forest growing in the Southern Piedmont.

Figure 14: FIA forest type groups shown in 2014 

(Brandeis 2016).
Conservation Reserve Program

11

The CRP is a land retirement conservation program 

administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency 

(FSA). The long-term goal of the program is to 

improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and 

reduce loss of wildlife habitat. In exchange for a 

yearly rental payment, environmentally sensitive 

land is removed from agricultural production, 

and plant species appropriate for resource 

conservation are established. Contracts for land 

enrolled in CRP are 10 to 15 years in length. CRP 

was enacted with the 1985 Farm Bill. 

Acreage enrolled in CRP varied widely during 

the inventory period (Figure 16). Since it was not 

authorized until 1985, no acreage was in CRP in 

1982. In 1992 and 1997, CRP enrollment peaked at 

about 600,000 acres. CRP enrollment declined in 

2007 and 2012 primarly due to higher agricultural 

commodity prices. NRI trend analysis shows 

about 820,000 acres have been in CRP during the 

program’s existence. This acreage differs from 

adding the totals of all the five-year NRI reporting 

periods in figure 16 because all CRP contracts 

extend beyond more than one reporting period. 

Additionally, some lands have been enrolled in 

multiple contracts.

CRP land in the Southern Piedmont – loblolly pine 

plantation.

Figure 16: Acres enrolled in CRP from 1982 to 2012.

(Program did not begin until 1985 Farm Bill). 

CRP promotes the planting of conservation 

cover, which can be different types of woody or 

herbaceous vegetation. Pine trees have always 

been the primary cover type established in 

Georgia. There was some initial interest in grass 

cover which rapidly declined following the 1992 

reporting period (Figure 16).
Pasture 1982 to 2012

12

Pasture is defined in the inventory as land used 

primarily for the production of domesticated 

forage plants that can be used for grazing 

livestock. Georgia’s total pasture stayed nearly 

the same from 2.9 million acres in1982 to 2.7 

million acres in 2012 (Figure 17). While the net 

acreage was nearly the same, about 1.4 million 

acres of pasture were converted to other land uses 

during the inventory period. However, that was 

offset by 1.2 million acres of other lands that were 

converted to pasture. 

Distribution of pasture was more uniform than 

cropland distribution among Georgia’s MLRAs in 

2012 (Figure 18). The Southern Piedmont (136) 

accounted for the most pasture at about 1.2 

million acres, although this is only 10.7 percent 

of the MLRA’s total surface area. Other MLRAs 

showed significant percentages of pasture in 2012: 

Southern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys (128), 

16.7 percent; Sand Mountain (129), 6.5 percent; 

Southern Coastal Plain (133A), 6.4 percent; and 

Carolina and Georgia Sand Hills (137), 5.9 percent. 

Smaller percentages of pasture were reported in 

the Southern Blue Ridge (130B) and Atlantic Coast 

Flatwoods (153A) at 4.5 percent and 2.5 percent 

respectively. There was essentially no pasture 

reported in the Tidewater Area (153B).

Black angus cattle grazing switchgrass in the Southern 

Piedmont.

Figure 18: Distribution of pasture by MLRA. Percentage 

of MLRA surface area in pasture.

Figure 17: Total acres of pasture from 1982 to 2012 .

Cattle on rotational grazing management pasture in the 

Southern Piedmont.
Developed Land 1982 to 2012

13

NRI defines developed land as a combination of 

urban-built up land and rural transport. Urbanbuilt up is residential, industrial, commercial, and 

institutional land. Urban-built up land includes 

construction sites; public administrative sites; 

railroad yards; cemeteries; airports; golf courses; 

sanitary landfills; sewage treatment plants; 

water control structures and spillways; and small 

parks (less than 10 acres) within urban and builtup areas. Also highways, railroads, and other 

transportation facilities are included in urban-built 

up if they are surrounded by urban areas. Rural 

transport is highways, roads, railroads, and their 

right-of-ways outside urban and built-up areas.

Developed land acreage doubled from 1982 to 

2012, increasing from about 2.2 to 4.6 million 

acres. Accordingly, developed land was the most 

rapidly growing land use category during the 

30 year inventory period (Figure 19). Developed 

land accounted for 12.3 percent of Georgia’s total 

surface area by 2012, most of any category except 

forest. Within the developed land category, urbanbuilt up land increased from about 1.7 million 

acres to 4 million acres. Rural transport increased 

from 580,000 to about 640,000 acres. Figure 20 

shows aerial photograghs of development over 

the inventory period.

The increase in developed land coincided with a 

rapidly increasing human population (Figure 21). 

In 1980, Georgia’s total population was 5.5 million. 

This increased to 9.7 million by 2010 (U.S. Census 

2012). The proportion of the population living in 

urban areas increased from 1980 to 2010. Urban 

population was 3.4 million in 1980 and increased 

to 7.3 million in 2010. In the same time period, 

rural population rose slightly, from 2.1 million to 

2.4 million.

Figure 20: Aerial photography depicting conditions 

of the same area in 1982 and 2012. This area was 

predominantly prime farmland prior to development.

Figure 19: Developed land in Georgia from 1982 to 2012. 

Figure 21: Population from 1980 to 2010, roughly 

covering the survey period. (U.S. Census 2012).

1982 2012
Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats 

14

NRI categorizes and reports wetlands and 

deepwater habitats according to Classification 

of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United 

States (Cowardin et al. 1979), often referred to as 

the Cowardin classification. Deepwater habitats 

are areas too deeply covered with water for 

emergent plant growth. Wetlands are lands where 

flooding, ponding, and/or soil saturation are the 

dominant factors determining the nature of soil 

development and the types of plants and animals 

living there. Wetlands have significant value 

associated with water quality, flood and sediment 

control, nutrient cycling, wildlife habitat, and 

groundwater recharge.

Wetlands and deepwater habitats are components 

of the five major systems of the Cowardin 

classification. The five major systems are Marine,* 

Estuarine, Riverine, Lacustrine, and Palustrine. 

Estuarine systems include tidal wetlands and 

associated deepwater habitats. Riverine systems 

are confined within a channel containing 

moving water. Lacustrine systems are lakes or 

ponds. Palustrine wetlands are primarily nontidal wetlands dominated by trees, shrubs, and 

persistent emergent plants.

Salt marsh – the Estuarine system of the Tidewater Area. Figure 22: Area of the 4 major categories of Cowardin 

wetland type reported in NRI (million acres).

NRI reported about 7.5 million acres of wetland 

and deepwater habitat systems in 2012 (Figure 

22). There were 1.1 million acres of streams and 

permanent open water reported by NRI. NRI’s 

streams and permanent open water roughly 

correspond to deepwater habitat as defined by 

the Cowardin classification. Palustrine wetlands 

was the largest system at around 6.1 million acres. 

Riverine systems accounted for the least acreage at 

about 190,000 acres. 

Gum swamp in the Southern Coastal Plain - an example 

of a Palustrine system.

Photo by Eamonn Leonard

*Marine systems are not reported in NRI.
The information in this document displays the 

dramatic speed and vast scale of land use change 

affecting our land resources. The equivalent of 

over 20 percent of Georgia’s surface area has been 

involved in some form of land use change during 

the inventory period. The doubling of developed 

land to 4.6 million acres over 30 years shows both 

the speed and the scale of the dynamics. These 

dramatic land use changes illustrate a need for 

awareness and adaptation going forward. Our 

growing population must address and balance its 

need for all land uses. 

Just as a new generation uses the land, a new 

generation of ideas governs land management. 

For instance, some of the newer approaches 

to managing the land for agriculture include 

increased interest in specialty crops, small scale, 

and urban farming. The NRCS and its conservation 

An organic farm in the Southern Blue Ridge MLRA utilizing high tunnel farming techniques and producing specialty crops 

such as Jerusalem artichoke.

15

partners are supporting new ideas by adapting 

programs and practices to meet these changes, 

while continuing to meet the conservation needs 

of traditional farming. 

We hope this document has presented a clear 

and unfiltered portrait of the rich endowment 

in natural resources Georgians enjoy. Georgia’s 

diverse agriculture provides food and fiber to a 

growing world population. Our forests provide 

clean air and support many uses from timber 

to wildlife habitat to recreation. Our water and 

wetlands support productive wildlife habitat, 

drinking water, agriculture, industry, and 

recreation. Other rural land contains important 

economic sectors including livestock operations, 

mining, and seafood, among others. Conservation 

of our rich resource endowment is our 

responsibility to the next generation.

Conclusions

Photo by www.streamwerx.com
16

Bishop, G. Norman, 2001. Native Trees of Georgia. Georgia Forestry Commission, Macon, GA 

http://www.gatrees.org/resources/education/native-trees/ (accessed December 30, 2016).

Brandeis, Thomas J.; McCollum, Joseph M.; Hartsell, Andrew J. [and others], 2016. Georgia’s Forests, 

2014: Resource Bulletin SRS–209. U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern 

Research Station, Asheville, NC https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/52079 (accessed December 30, 

2016).

Cowardin, Lewis M., Carter, V., Golet, F. C., and LaRoe, E. T., 1979. Classification of Wetlands and 

Deepwater Habitats of the United States. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Washington, D.C.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2012. 2010 Census of Population and Housing: Population and Housing 

Unit Counts; CPH-2-12, Georgia. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 

https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-12.pdf (accessed December 30, 2016).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2013. Science Documentation: 

Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, Version 2. Washington, D.C. https://www.ars.usda.gov/

southeast-area/oxford-ms/national-sedimentation-laboratory/watershed-physical-processesresearch/research/rusle2/revised-universal-soil-loss-equation-2-rusle2-documentation/

(accessed December 30, 2016).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agriculture Statistics Service, 2014. 2012 Census of 

Agriculture: Georgia State and County Data; Volume 1 – Geographic Area Series – Part 10. 

Washington, D.C. https://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Census_by_

State/Georgia/ (accessed December 30, 2016).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2006. Land Resource 

Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook 296. Washington, D.C. http://go.usa.gov/x9mhF

(accessed December 30, 2016).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2016a. National Soil 

Survey Handbook, Title 430-VI; Part 622. Lincoln, NE http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/

detail/soils/ref/?cid=nrcs142p2_054242 (accessed December 30, 2016).

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil Survey Staff, 

2016b. Gridded Soil Survey Geographic (gSSURGO) Database for Georgia. Lincoln, NE 

http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/ (accessed December 30, 2016).

U.S. Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, 2009. National Elevation Dataset, 

2nd Ed. Sioux Falls, SD http://nationalmap.gov (accessed December 30, 2016).

Wischmeier, W. H., and Smith, D. D. 1978. Predicting Rainfall Erosion Losses – A Guide to Conservation 

Planning. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook No. 537. Washington, D.C.

References
17

Appendix: Data Tables 

Tables Page

1. Broad Land Cover/Use Categories by Year 18

2. Changes among Broad Use Categories between 1982 and 2012 19

3. Broad Cover/Use by MLRA in 1982 and 2012 20

4. Specific Land Cover/Use Categories by Year 21

5. Prime Farmland by Broad Cover/Use by Year 23

6. Average Annual Sheet and Rill Erosion by Year 23

7. Conservation Reserve Program Contracted Pratices by Year 24

8. Cowardin Wetland and Deepwater Systems and Classes in 2012 24

1Pasture and forest are labels unique to this Georgia publication. National NRI labels these 

categories pastureland and forest land. The values and definitions are the same, only the labels 

are changed.

2Federal land is not counted as a land cover/use, but a surface area category, since NRI does 

not measure the land use of land owned by federal agencies. 

3Total surface area, large water, federal land, and CRP (CRP totals only, change and MLRA 

values are estimated) are determined from administrative sources and therefore do not have 

associated margins of error.

4Instances where the margin of error is greater than or equal to the estimate -- shown in red 

italics -- indicate that the confidence interval includes zero and that the estimate should be 

used with caution.

5CRP did not begin until 1985.

6Although CRP had begun in 1987, information on practices applied was not available until the 

1992 cycle due to lag time between contract approval and practice application.

Data Useage Notes
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22
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A forested creek in the Southern Appalachian Ridges and Valleys providing fresh water, clean air, wildlife 

habitat, and recreation.
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