Land Use Planning and Management in Tank Cascade Environment of Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
pp. 310-329
Author(s):  
Muditha Prasannajith Perera ◽  
K. W. G. Rekha Nianthi
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Irrigation Canal ◽  
Land Utilization ◽  
Planning And Management ◽  
Agricultural Community ◽  
Dry Zone ◽  
Land Use Practices

The Tank Cascade System is one of the unique and socially accepted land-use practices in the dry zone of Sri Lanka which has evolved since 600 B.C. The small tank builders of the historical period had a profound and unified understanding of the natural resources, regional landscape, landforms, and hydrology. Tanks and irrigation canal systems, environmental zoning, forest reservations, agro-well-based land utilization, land-sharing system (Bethma), traditional soil conservation measures have been still maintaining well in some rural areas in the dry zone. Newly developed agro-well-based agro-forestry systems and some participatory techniques are also counted as few of sustainable land-use practices. This study has provided many valuable lessons of land use planning and management from the ancient hydraulic civilization and proving that the ancient system is still appropriate for the dry zone agricultural community rather than inadequately coordinated modern efforts of land use practices.

scholarly journals Grandma in the greenbelt : how the natural disposal of our dead could save Ontario's green space

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Elizabeth Heron-Monk
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Land Resource ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Environmental Challenges ◽  
A Value ◽  
Burial Grounds

Cemetery grounds and sustainable land use practice are rarely used in conjunction however natural burial grounds present opportunities to leverage the land use and environmental challenges associated with conventional cemeteries for the benefit of people and the environment. This paper explores land use planning challenges facing Ontario in planning for the disposal of our dead and the emergence of natural burial grounds as a sustainable alternative to conventional burial. This paper also explores how planning challenges related to planning for the disposal of our dead could be leveraged to produce positive outcomes; in particular the strengthening of Ontario's Greenbelt as a living landscape. This paper argues the Natural burial has potential to be a value added land resource and can mitigate a series of burial related land use challenges currently present in Ontario.

Insights, implications and challenges of studying local soil knowledge for sustainable land use: a critical review

Soil Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ha T. N. Huynh ◽  
Lisa A. Lobry de Bruyn ◽  
Brian R. Wilson ◽  
Oliver G. G. Knox
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Soil Classification ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Local Soil

Local soil knowledge (LSK) has been recognised for its importance in sustainable soil management and agroecosystems. This paper examines peer-reviewed articles and grey literature documents on LSK during 2003–2018. Research continues to be geographically focused on developing countries, but often in collaboration with researchers from developed countries. There were five key research themes: soil classification and agreement between local and scientific soil knowledge (Theme 1), value of LSK for soil management and decision-making (Theme 2), scientific approach to the incorporation of LSK (Theme 3), application of LSK for identification of and solutions to soil problems (Theme 4) and factors influencing soil knowledge development (Theme 5). Although Theme 1 continued to be a prevalent research area, confirming the importance of visible and topsoil characteristics identified by farmers, examining subsurface soil properties has garnered less research. For LSK to be thoroughly documented requires support by a pluralistic scientific assessment and greater incorporation of social science methodologies. An overarching finding from Themes 2–4 was the importance of designing national programs that incorporate LSK derived from local people and other stakeholders (e.g. scientists and policymakers) to conserve soils. Local soil maps, using LSK terminology, could broaden the appeal and use of maps by local stakeholders to support sustainable land-use planning from the field to national policy-making processes. Finally, cultural and political aspects, known to influence LSK, should be given greater consideration in further research to sustain and develop this knowledge (Theme 5).

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