Information about economic activity was obtained from the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (cohesivefire.nemac.org). Data were derived from the USDA Economic Research Service to create a county-level measure of Dominant Economic Activity (county economic dependence). This describes the most prevalent kind of economic activity, which includes activities from farming, mining, and manufacturing to government employment and the service industry. The Appalachian economy is diverse and geographically variable; for example, manufacturing is spread throughout the region, whereas mining activities are located more centrally. Data are from 2004.The mission of the USDA Economic Research Service is to inform and enhance public and private decision making on economic and policy issues related to agriculture, food, the environment, and rural development.
