Chapters 14 and 15 Land Chapter 14

Ecosystem Services Ecosystem Services – resources that are produced by natural and artificial ecosystems Purification of air and water Preservation of soil and renewal of soil fertility Regulation of climate Maintenance of biodiversity Movement and cycling of nutrients Detoxification and decomposition of wastes Aesthetic beauty

Primary Land Use Categories 1. Rangeland 2. Forest land 3. Cropland 4. Parks and Preserves 5. Wetlands, mountains, deserts, other 6. Urban land

Land Use Planning Involves making decisions about what land will be used for: shopping malls, residences, sewers, rangeland, recreation Often controversial – people have different needs and opinions about what land should be used for We don’t want some things “in our own backyard”

Land Use Planning Tool for land use planning is the Geographic Information System (GIS) – computerized system for storing, manipulating, and viewing geographic data, display “layers” of info on top of one another

Environmental Impact Statement Report required of government agencies when there is a proposed project or policy that may greatly affect the environment Required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 Usually involves public input Includes: 1. Need for the project/action 2. Description of environment at risk 3. Range of alternatives for the proposed action 4. Analysis of environmental impact of each alternative

Environmental Impact Statement Example: Off Road vehicle plan for Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/prog/recreation/ohv/ohv_feis___rod.html

Land Issues Issue: rapid urbanization – when the proportion of people living in cities increases at a rapid rate Two hundred years of urban growth for the Baltimore-Washington region. Red pixels denote urban land use as defined by both the USGS and the Bureau of the Census.

Land Issues Problems of rapid urbanization: 1. insufficient infrastructure, substandard housing 2. urban sprawl – uses land that is at the edge of the city, may have once been used to grow food, people have to commute (uses fuel)

3. Use of marginal land for living

An urban area where temperatures 4. Urban heat islands An urban area where temperatures are significantly above the surrounding rural area temps Atlanta, GA

Land Issues Solutions: Chapters 14 and 15 Land Issues Solutions: 1. land-use planning that may provide controlled growth 2. open spaces 3. greenbelts In those countries which have them, development in green belt areas is heavily restricted. The stated objectives of green belt policy are to: Protect natural or semi natural environments; Improve air quality within urban areas; Ensure that urban dwellers have access to countryside, with consequent educational and recreational opportunities; and Protect the unique character of rural communities which might otherwise be absorbed by expanding suburbs. The green belt has many benefits for people: Walking, camping, and biking areas close to the cities and towns. Habitat for wild plants, animals and wildlife. Cleaner air and water Better land use of areas within the bordering cities. (Wikipedia) The city of Ottawa, located in the middle of the map, is surrounded by the Ottawa Greenbelt

4. effective mass transit systems 5. urban limit lines – prohibits new urban development outside certain geographic boundaries http://www.abag.ca.gov/jointpolicy/Urban%20Growth%20Boundaries%20and%20Urban%20Limit%20Lines.pdf

Land Issues Farming Problems: Chapters 14 and 15 Land Issues Farming Problems: Farming practices that lead to erosion, degradation of soil, desertification, contamination by chemicals, loss of diversity of crop species We will study this topic in Chapter 15….

Land Issues Problem with ranching: overgrazing = too many animals eat too much of the plant cover Results in negative effects: Compaction of soil Removes native grass Allows invasives to grow Leads to soil erosion by wind and water

Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 – actions: Solutions: Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978 – actions: * limit herd sizes * restore natural plant communities * allow land to remain ungrazed so it can recover * remove invasive plant species Thanks, U.S. Government!

Land Issues Forestry – wood is a valuable natural resource Chapters 14 and 15 Land Issues Forestry – wood is a valuable natural resource Uses for wood: * Timber * Paper * Cardboard * Furniture * Home products * Sports equipment

Problems Deforestation/Clear-cutting of trees – destroys entire ecosystem, leads to soil erosion

Solutions Selective cutting – removing only the best trees, leaving others to grow Reforestation – plant trees to replace those harvested (better to have a variety, not a monoculture)

Establishment of Protected Areas There are different classifications for protected areas: national parks – you will complete a webquest biosphere reserves – since 1977, now over 500 in 107 countries wilderness areas – restrictions on roads and use

Establishment of Protected Areas national wildlife refuge – Ex: Cahaba National Wildlife Refuge, AL