scholarly journals Combating Land Degradation and Desertification: The Land-Use Planning Quandary

Land ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Briassoulis
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Land Systems ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Land Degradation And Desertification ◽  
Global Threat

Land-use planning (LUP), an instrument of land governance, is often employed to protect land and humans against natural and human-induced hazards, strengthen the resilience of land systems, and secure their sustainability. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) underlines the critical role of appropriate local action to address the global threat of land degradation and desertification (LDD) and calls for the use of local and regional LUP to combat LDD and achieve land degradation neutrality. The paper explores the challenges of putting this call into practice. After presenting desertification and the pertinent institutional context, the paper examines whether and how LDD concerns enter the stages of the LUP process and the issues arising at each stage. LDD problem complexity, the prevailing mode of governance, and the planning style endorsed, combined with LDD awareness, knowledge and perception, value priorities, geographic particularities and historical circumstances, underlie the main challenges confronting LUP; namely, adequate representation of LDD at each stage of LUP, conflict resolution between LDD-related and development goals, need for cooperation, collaboration and coordination of numerous and diverse actors, sectors, institutions and policy domains from multiple spatial/organizational levels and uncertainty regarding present and future environmental and socio-economic change. In order to realize the integrative potential of LUP and foster its effectiveness in combating LDD at the local and regional levels, the provision of an enabling, higher-level institutional environment should be prioritized to support phrοnetic-strategic integrated LUP at lower levels, which future research should explore theoretically, methodologically and empirically.

scholarly journals Strategic land-use planning instruments in tropical regions: state of the art and future research.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Oliveira ◽  
Patrick Meyfroidt
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Land Systems ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Research Domains

Abstract Human-induced activities are threatening the socio-economic and ecological sustainability of land systems globally, including in tropical regions. Authorities in these regions prepare and implement land-use plans to select and organize land uses in a way that will meet the needs of local communities while safeguarding ecosystems services. To this end, land-use planning is used to assess, manage and monitor the physical, social and economic conditions of territories and thus assist agribusiness, smallholder farmers and other land users in their land-based activities. There is, however, a lack of systematic studies identifying strategic oriented land-use planning instruments and further detailing the extent of their effectiveness in supporting land governance. Here, we contribute to address this gap by reviewing academic and grey literature with a geographic scope on tropical regions. We conclude by sketching future research domains intended to expand the role of strategic planning approaches in land governance in the tropics.

scholarly journals Area-based conservation planning in Japan: protected area network effectiveness to the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takayuki Shiono ◽  
Yasuhiro Kubota ◽  
Buntarou Kusumoto
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Global Biodiversity

To reframe the imperfect review processes of nation-scale actions on area-based conservation through protected area (PA) networks, we first created novel infrastructure to visualize nation-level biodiversity information in Japan. We then assessed the performance of the existing PA network relative to land exploitation pressure and evaluated conservation effectiveness of PA expansion for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The Zonation algorithm was used to spatially prioritize conservation areas to minimize biodiversity loss and the extinction risk for 8,500 Japanese vascular plant and vertebrate species under constraints of the existing PA network and land use. The spatial pattern of the identified priority areas, which were considered candidate areas for expansion of the current PA network, was influenced by land-use types according to the mask layers of non-PAs, and low-, middle-, and high-ranked PAs. The current PA network reduced the aggregate extinction risk of multiple species by 36.6%. Indeed, the percentage of built-up areas in the existing PAs was in general smaller than that in the areas surrounding PAs. Notably, high-ranked PAs fully restrained built-up pressure (0.037% per 10 years), whereas low-ranked PAs in the national park and wild-life protection areas did not (1.845% per 10 years). Conservation effects were predicted to substantially improve by expansion of high-ranked (legally strict) PAs into remote non-PAs without population/socio-economic activities, or expansion of medium-ranked PAs into agriculture forestry satoyama and urban areas. A 30% land conservation target was predicted to decrease extinction risk by 74.1% when PA expansion was implemented across remote areas, satoyama, and urban areas; moreover, PA connectivity almost doubled compared with the existing PA network. In contrast, a conventional scenario showed that placing national parks in state-owned and non-populated areas would reduce extinction risk by only 4.0%. The conservation prioritization analyses demonstrated an effectiveness of using a comprehensive conservation approach that reconciles land-sparing protection and land-sharing conservation in other effective area-based conservation measures (OECM) in satoyama and urban green spaces. Our results revealed that complementary inclusion of various PAs interventions related to their governance and land-use planning plays a critical role in effectively preventing biodiversity loss and makes it more feasible to achieve ambitious conservation targets.

scholarly journals Effects of Land Degradation on Agricultural Land Use: A Case Study of Smallholder Farmers Indigenous Knowledge on Land Use Planning and Management in Kalama Division, Machakos County

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Masila Samson Muloo ◽  
Kauti Matheaus Kioko ◽  
Kimiti Jacinta M.
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Planning And Management

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of land degradation on agricultural land use, planning and management in Kalama Division, Machakos County; and specifically determined farmers’ considerations of land suitability for selected types of agricultural land uses in varying cropping zones, investigated farmers’ local environmental knowledge of land degradation indicators and finally documented farmers’ land management strategies and practices for soil and water conservation. Data was collected using a questionnaire, along a road transect cutting across upper, middle and lower zones (parts) of a slope. A total of 40 households along the transect on the three zones were interviewed. Results obtained revealed that crop farming, livestock, poultry, farm forestry and bee keeping were the major agricultural land use activities carried out in the study area. Overall, steep slope was the most important factor considered for farm forestry (17%) (5.29 STDEV). Bee farming was the least land use practice accounting for only 1% of total land use. Most land degradation (15%) was reported in the middle zone while lowest land degradation (7%) was reported in the upper zone. The study found out that most households were aware of land degradation indicators in their local environment and described them using their indigenous environmental knowledge. The smallholder farmers prevented further land degradation by use of their local or traditional ways such as application of organic manure, planting of trees, crop rotation, use of gabions and stone lines. Different zones had different land use and management practices due to differences in terrain and other physical and biophysical characteristics. Overall, the major land management practices included tree planting (23%) (4.04 STDEV) and water conservation and gabion making (10%) (2.52 STDEV). This study clearly established an existence of smallholder farmers’ indigenous knowledge, perceptions, and beliefs of the local environmental factors of land condition which are necessary for the farmer’s decision-making on land use planning and management. On the basis of these findings, the study argues for place-based analysis and understanding of the landscape structure and local micro-environments in enhancing understanding of local-level decision-making on land use planning and management by smallholder farmers in maintaining livelihood security. Even though the study is limited to the local scope, it can provide a basis for designing policies aimed at rural livelihood security improvement and inform and facilitate targeting of outside interventions such as land use planning and management programs which can be built on existing indigenous knowledge.

Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Land Degradation and Desertification

2019 ◽  
pp. 183-195
Author(s):  
Dharumarajan S. ◽  
Veeramani S. ◽  
Kalaiselvi Beeman ◽  
Lalitha M. ◽  
Janani N. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Change Models ◽  
Degradation Processes ◽  
Land Use Models ◽  
Land Degradation And Desertification

Land degradation and desertification have been graded as a major environmental and social dispute in most of the emerging countries. Changes in temperature, wind speed, and precipitation patterns will influence plant biomass production, land use, land cover, soil moisture, infiltration rate, runoff and crop management, and ultimately, land degradation. Close relations between climate change and land degradation processes have been perceived in the past decades. Climate change models and land use models should be combined with hydrologic/erosion models to accurately compute or predict climate change impacts on land degradation. This chapter introduces the advancements in modeling of impact of climate changes in land degradation and need for the critical investigation to better understand and forecast the responses of land degradation processes to a changing climate in the future.

Market Cities, People Cities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin T. Smiley
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Social Change ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Urban Form ◽  
Free Market ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Decentralized Governance ◽  
The City

Cities are diverging in our contemporary era. Specifically, we use our analysis of Copenhagen and Houston to argue that cities exist for one of two reasons: for markets or for people. Market Cities (such as Houston) are dedicated to an unfettered free market ethos, individualism, and tolerance of high levels of inequality and decentralized governance, among other characteristics. By contrast, People Cities (such as Copenhagen) have a much greater collective ideal that drives the city toward attenuating inequality, strengthening government, and sanctioning “people-focused” policies and urban form. The first four chapters of the book showcase “how it happens” by introducing the perspective and studying the histories of the cities. We also showcase how government deeply shapes each type of city as well as the critical role that residents play in underpinning or contesting their city. The second part of the book (chapters 5 through 9) investigates “why it matters.” We discuss the implications of living in a Market City or People City for transportation, land-use planning, the environment, diversity, inequality, segregation, crime, and immigration. We also extend our perspective to a wider range of cities, making suggestions on how to apply the ideas presented in the book. Finally, we conclude by discussing how social change within the city might occur and best be accomplished.

scholarly journals Opportunities and Limitations for Achieving Land Degradation-Neutrality through the Current Land-Use Policy Framework in Kenya

Land ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gichenje ◽  
Muñoz-Rojas ◽  
Pinto-Correia
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Legal Provisions ◽  
Policy Goals ◽  
Data Collection Strategy ◽  
Planning Processes

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) land degradation neutrality (LDN) scientific conceptual framework underscores that LDN planning and implementation should be integrated into existing planning processes and supported by an enabling policy environment. Land-use planning, which requires the integration of different policy goals across various sectors concerned with land-use, can be an effective mechanism through which decisions with respect to LDN can be coordinated. Using Kenya as a case study, we examined current policy instruments that directly or indirectly impact on the use of land in a rural context, to assess their potential to implement LDN objectives. The qualitative content analysis of these instruments indicated that they are rich with specific legal provisions and measures to address LDN, and that there are a number of relevant institutions and structures across governance levels. However, the main shortcoming is the disjointed approach that is scattered across policy areas. Key policy improvements needed to support effective implementation of LDN include: a national soil policy on the management and protection of soil and land; a systematic and coordinated data collection strategy on soils; mobilisation of adequate and sustained financial resources; streamlined responsibilities, and governance structures across national, regional and county levels.

Generated land systems: recognition and prospects of land system science

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-207
Author(s):  
Fei Li ◽  
Meijun Zhou ◽  
Zhangxuan Qin
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
System Integration ◽  
Integration Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
System Research ◽  
System Science ◽  
Land System ◽  
System Generation ◽  
Generation Theory ◽  
Land Systems

Although land system research has made important progress in land change monitoring, long-term histories of land use change, land system change modeling, and case-study synthesis, it still faces some challenges in system integration and comprehensive analysis. To better understand and explore the comprehensiveness of land systems, system integration theory should be combined with system generation theory that emphasizes historical accumulation. Therefore, this paper revisits some of the basic connotations and theories of land system science by reviewing relevant research and proposes the concept of generated land systems based on system generation theory with an aim to providing a reference base for future research. As coupled human–environment systems are generated by mankind’s transformation, utilization, and adaptation of the land surface and its upper and lower spaces of Earth, generated land systems evolve in the mutual generation and restriction of the biophysical environment, land use, and social economy. The evolution forms of generated land systems can be classified as fluctuation, degradation, and optimization based on the ascendency and resilience of the system. The need for generated land systems to be multi-functional is what motivates the direction and form of generated land system evolution. Generation mechanism, process, adaptability, scale effect, and tele-coupling are important issues of generated land system research. In addition, how generated land systems can enter a new evolutionary cycle through functional transformation is also crucial to achieving sustainable management and utilization of land resources.

scholarly journals IDENTIFICATION AND MAPPING OF HOT SPOT AREAS SUSCEPTIBLE TO SOIL EROSION IN ERAK AL KARAK AREA USING GEOINFORMATICS

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 246-259
Author(s):  
Safa Mazahreh ◽  
Mohammad Alkharabsheh ◽  
Majed Bsoul ◽  
Doaa Abu Hammor ◽  
Lubna Al Mahasneh
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Gis Tools ◽  
Areas Of Interest ◽  
Agricultural Areas ◽  
The Impact

Jordan is a country dominated by arid climate and fragile ecological system, where 91% is classified as arid land with annual average rainfall rarely exceeds 200 mm/y. Therefore, land degradation, soil erosion and desertification are important areas of interest, where soil erosion is considered one of the major causes for land degradation in Jordan. The main objective of this study is to create an erosion hazard map and identify the areas susceptible to soil erosion in Erak Al karak watershed in southern part of Jordan. Soil erosion model RUSLE with the integration of GIS tools has been developed to estimate the annual soil loss. The estimated mean annual soil loss is (38.7 ton/ ha/year). The erosion map produced highlighted the hot spot areas susceptible to soil erosion. A relationship was obvious between terraces land use and soil loss, where 22% of the soil loss was reduced by applying soil conservation technique (terraces). According to this model, most of the hot spot areas are located in the rangeland 63% while the agricultural areas are responsible for 14% of the hot spot areas. The results emphasis the importance of urgent land use planning and conservation practices to reduce the impact of soil erosion.

scholarly journals Agricultural land use and the sustainability of social-ecological systems

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Bengochea Paz ◽  
Kirsten Henderson ◽  
Michel Loreau
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Degradation ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Landscape Composition ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Land Conversion ◽  
Conversion Rates

AbstractAgricultural land expansion and intensification, driven by human consumption of agricultural goods, are among the major threats to environmental degradation and biodiversity conservation. Land degradation can ultimately hamper agricultural production through a decrease in ecosystem services. Thus, designing viable land use strategies is a key sustainability challenge. We develop a model describing the coupled dynamics of human demography and landscape composition, while imposing a trade-off between agricultural expansion and intensification. We model land use strategies spanning from low-intensity agriculture and high land conversion rates per person to high-intensity agriculture and low land conversion rates per person; and explore their consequences on the long-term dynamics of the coupled human-land system. We seek to characterise the strategies’ viability in the long run; and understand the mechanisms that potentially lead to large-scale land degradation and population collapse due to resource scarcity. We show that the viability of land use strategies strongly depends on the land’s intrinsic recovery rate. We also find that socio-ecological collapses occur when agricultural intensification is not accompanied by a sufficient decrease in land conversion. Based on these findings we stress the dangers of naive land use planning and the importance of precautionary behaviour for land use management.

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