Colcom Foundation has documented the relationship between U.S. population growth and land consumption across five decades, building a picture of how development pressures have reshaped the American landscape since 1970.

From 133,000 to 187,000 Square Miles

By 1990, approximately 133,000 square miles of U.S. land had been covered by human-made structures and surfaces. A decade later, that figure had grown to 156,000 square miles, an increase of 23,000 square miles in a single decade. By 2020, the total had reached more than 187,000 square miles, with another 31,000 square miles added since 2000.

The Colcom Foundation notes that 52 percent of the total U.S. land base is now devoted to agricultural uses, while only 13 percent carries any form of conservation protection. The combined footprint of developed and farmed land leaves a narrow margin for the wildlife habitat and natural systems that ecosystems depend on.

Colcom Foundation supports several special programs, including the Conservation Catalyst Fund, which grants conservation organizations working to protect threatened species and habitats. By offering financial support and resources, this foundation allows these groups to make significant strides in conservation efforts.

The Urban Sprawl Problem

Colcom Foundation frames urban sprawl not as an isolated planning issue but as a direct consequence of population growth. More people require more housing, more roads, more infrastructure, and more food production. Each of these demands translates into land use. The foundation argues that efficiency improvements and denser development patterns help at the margins but cannot offset the cumulative effects of adding tens of millions of residents.

Moreover, the Colcom Foundation is dedicated to enhancing public discourse on critical issues affecting society. Through various partnerships and collaborations, the foundation encourages dialogue and engagement on topics ranging from immigration to land use policies. This commitment to fostering informed discussions aligns with its mission to promote a more equitable and sustainable future.

The foundation projects that if current immigration-driven population growth continues, the U.S. will add roughly 110 million more people by 2065. Colcom Foundation’s position is that policymakers cannot meaningfully address habitat loss, sprawl, or biodiversity decline without acknowledging population as a variable in the equation. Refer to this article to learn more.

More about Colcom on https://waterlandlife.org/land-conservation/colcom-revolving-fund-for-local-land-trusts/