These two images are typical rural sprawl compared with Central Manhattan, on the exact same scale. Now I'm not an expert on these matters, but something tells me pollution, traffic and logistical problems would be much, much worse is everyone had their own plot of land.
Gravel roads are better than paved, I meant that this spread out housing also creates new gravel roads and driveways - which are usually very long and paved with asphalt for the biggest mcmansions.
The fact it isn't even being farmed pisses me off too. If that remnant prairie land was grazed rotationally it would mimic some of the natural processes like buffalo grazing it seasonally and be fine for the soil. Overgrazing cattle on the land is a travesty, but so is putting bermuda grass like you said.
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