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Land Use 1951-1990

I have lived on the Cape for 30 some odd years and have seen quite a change in the amount of development that has taken place here. The dwindling forests and expanding neighborhoods are very evident to those who have been familiar with the Cape for more than a couple decades. I really notice the difference when it comes to vehicle traffic.

Years ago, there was no traffic at all in wintertime. During January-Februrary you could drive from Dennis to Hyannis along Route 28 and if you were lucky you’d pass half-a-dozen cars. Now in February there is the same amount of traffic as there was 20 or 30 years ago in July! CARA or The Consortium for Atlantic Regional Assessment has an interesting study available on Cape Cod’s changes in land use.

As the population grew from less than 47 thousand people in 1951 to more than 186 thousand people in 1990, the conversion of land cover on Cape Cod has been dramatic. The population has doubled since 1975, and the small peninsula is now a year-round home for more than 200 thousand people… This rapid conversion of land cover due to the burgeoning population threatens environmental quality and could exacerbate the effects of climate change.

Take a look at the dramatic change since 1951.

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