1. Introduction
The
age of materialism and economic expansionism has produced land use changes in a
number of ways over most of the world. The manufacture of products output and
residues of various compositions are end up in the land. The modern
metropolitan environment tends to be less healthy, less safe, and less
emotionally secure. Such environment poses an uncertainty to future
generations.
2. The problem:
Impact and change
A
measure of land degradation, known as potential direct instrumental value
(PDIV), represents the capacity for a piece of land and the supply of direct
benefit from that land to humans, such as agriculture, forestry, industry and
medicinal production (Daily 1995).
In
tropical region human activities are main causes for huge part of the land
degradation. Such as shift-cultivation, mining, farming steep slopes, over
grazing and improper management activities. There are some specific factors and
characters identified in the land degradation.
Water is the main
reason for the land degeneration: This is the
most distribution factor in East Asia land degeneration. It affects 83 million
hectare and 25 percentage of total agricultural land area. The productivity of
the soil is lost because of water logging or induction of land surface.
Decline in the land
fertility: Decreases in the soil organic matter
and loses of nutrients leads to infertility of soil. High utility rate of
chemical fertilizers and improper land practices are the main reasons that
contribute the land degradation. Over grazing removes too much of the soil
protective cover vegetation covers.
Salinization:
Increasing rate of soil salinization is another factor that can cause land
degradation. Irregular irrigation water management, sea water intrusion, excess
use of ground water and construction of river dams are the main factors.
Improper land use:
In developing countries, rapidly – increasing populations usually migrate to
upland to occupy forests or range of land. Most migrants use the land without
using proper conservation methods. This kind of cultivation repeated by farmers
at hillsides until the land loses its productivity capacity.
Resource extraction and
depletion: Underground mining is another factor
that can cause land depletion. Globally, about two – thirds of hard coal
production comes from underground mines. It caused to reduction of water table
in groundwater.
Urbanization:
Human activities are continually modifying the landscape, creating urban areas,
roads, airports, pits, ponds, spoil heaps, terraces, cuttings, canals,
reservoirs and areas of subsidence. The rapid increasing population has demand
on available living space. Land resources of the urban areas are degraded due
to indiscriminate solid wastes and waste water dumping.
3. The importance of
sustainable land use
When
we use the resources, we must consider our future generations need as well. We
must seek to extend the availability of these resources through conservation,
substitution, reuse and recycling. Renewable resources and non-renewable
resources contain different management style. Land is one of the renewable
resources. But people not able to wait for long enough time to that depleted
resource become replenished. Therefore renewable resource management and
practices need guiding principle of sustainable development. It means utilized
the Earth resources in a way of meet current needs without degrading ecosystems
and ensure the future availability of those resources. Harmony with nature by
doing things in ‘nature’s way’ and preventing damage to the Earth’s
environmental support system is important for sustainable development.
In
order to support the idea of sustainable land use, a global change of attitude
needs to be adopted. Sustainable land use means manage the land assets in a way
that benefit to local economy, restores soil nutrients through organic measures
and tree roots. Sustainable land use management need the development of
accurate definitions, practices, and policies to construct the disciplines.
Understanding
the land carrying capability is important factor for making decisions about
activities for the sustain land uses. Land capability is the ability of the
land to sustain a certain type of land use without causing permanent damage.
When assessing land capability focus on specific features such as soil depth,
stability and fertility, topography, erosion risk and stream proximity are
concerned. Important point in land capability is to identify the differences
between different parts of the land. This will help to decide which parts give
more productivity and determine the type of land uses without compromising long
term sustainability. This management strategy can help to make decisions and
take actions according economically, socially and environmentally
sustainable.
4. Sustainable land
use practices
4.1. Biological methods
(i)
Agroforestry:
This
is one of the important developments in forest management. There are three
components to the sustainable agroforestry. It includes intention, intensity,
integration, and interactivity. Intention means intentionally created and
designed the trees, crops, livestock, and shrubs in the most favourable way to
achieve the highest benefits and yield. Intensity means managed the agro
forestry practices and process intensively and preserve the basic function of
production and protection. It includes thinning, fertilization, irrigation and
cultivation practices. Integration intended combined all individuals’
components and brought into a single unit. Interactivity described that managed
and utilized the agro forestry components in active fashion and the same time
balancing the benefits of conservation and ecology.
Agro
forestry has many benefits. It is one of the effective way that lead
sustainable land use practices. In Sri Lanka home gardens are traditional forms
of agro-forestry. This method conserves soil particularly it have great impact
on sloping areas.
(ii)
A forestation:
This
is the one of the effective approach to protect the land resources and prevent
the land from degradation. This method includes higher edge terrace
forestation, narrow terrace forestation, horizontal ditch forestation and pit
forestation in steeper slopes. In china this method is usually follow in some
areas that experienced impact of erosion. It can prevent the land slides.
(iii)
Increase ground vegetation cover:
If
we plant permanent vegetation between bodies of water and cropland, it will benefit
to land through reducing the pollution, stabilizing the water banks and improve
the habitat for both aquatic and terrestrial life. Maintain groundcover above
80 percentages is to prevent the soil erosion and help to protect soil
structure. It reduce the rainfall runoff and protect soil moisture through
retain.
In
south Wales, they are practicing variety of methods which lead to
sustainability land use for grazing. They increase perennial plants in
permanent pastures. Perennial pastures are deep-rooted and provide yearlong
ground cover and offer higher pasture yields. It reduces groundwater recharge
and salinity.
(iii)
SALT method (Slope agricultural Land technology):
This
is the one of the less expensive method that protects the slope land due to
agricultural practices. It main aim is maintain sustainability of land resources.
Easy to applied in many areas. It helps to reduce the soil erosion and increase
the soil fertility. This is the one of the method that combines production
method and biological erosion control methods. This method utilize for
multipurpose. This method gives success in Philippines.
(iv)
Rotational cropping system:
Under
rotational cropping land can recover and reach a given stage of re-growth
before the next planting. Rotational cropping increase production and balancing
the sustain use of land.
4.2. Engineering
methods
(i)
Contour pluming:
Engineering
techniques, the first and basic is to adapt cultivation to the contours of the
land. When cultivated in slope cultivation should follow the contour of the
land. Contour pluming is a first step towards to keeping soil from washing
downhill.
(ii)
Terracing:
This
method applies in greater slopes and the higher soil erosion areas. This is the
supplemented to contour cultivation. A channel forms usually maintained in sod
behind the terrace. This help to diverted excess water into ditches or channels
that permit adequate drainage.
(iii) Urban
ecosystem with nature:
Urban
landscapes with nature may be essential for an ecologically sustainable.
Recently some cities and specific areas are constructing with landscape mosaic
of urban, agricultural and natural ecosystems. It provided direct opportunities
of sustainable use of land. Ensuring that natural ecosystem is a part of urban
landscapes or finding a way to restore green areas. This approach increases the
people awareness of natural ecosystem and provides direct contact with nature. This
manner prevents the destruction and improves environmental support system that
a part of sustainable use of land practices. The residential areas of some
cities in Southern California contained this system.
4.3. Contribution of
Participation
Government,
Institutional and people participation:
National
government, institutions, local residents, recreational users and
environmentalists ensures the land that landscape will retain a sustainable
representation of natural ecosystems for future generation.
Malaysian
government and timber industry have tried to make sustainable forestry in many
ways. Allowing only selective cutting methods, restricting the use of
bulldozers and other heavy destructive machinery and spend the money for
improving national park and other protected areas. Although encourages the
village forestry, urban forestry and forest recreation.
Community
gardening is the one way to increase people participation. They can value fresh
foods that a garden provides and gardening put them into touch with ecosystems
in numerous ways. Organic gardening increases the awareness of sustainable use
of land.
Government
should educated their citizens about environmental issues and provide
educational, material assistance to follow a path to sustain land uses.
Individuals can teach their neighbours about sustainable development and
encourage their participation in setting land uses practices in a sustainable
way for their future.
References
1. William
m. Marsh (1991); Landscape planning – Environmental applications; John wiley
& sons, Inc; USA
2. Gerald
G Marten (2001); human ecology – basic concepts for sustainable development;
Earthscan publications Ltd
3. David
Waugh (2003); The New Wider World; Nelson Thornes; U.K
4. S.
Antony Norbert (2007); An introduction to Environmental Geography; Kumaran Book
House; SriLanka
5. David
D. Kemp (2004); Exploring Environmental Issues (An integrated approach);
Routledge; London
6. http://www.juglans.org/the-importance-of-sustainable-land-use.php
7.
http://www.scientificjournals.org/journals2007/articles/1030.htm
8.
