Land

Use and Management

Warm up Farmland is vanishing

Between 1984 to 1992, 210,000 acres of farmland in California were converted to suburbs and cities. This is happening all over the world. How could this affect you?

Rural vs. Urban

Urban an area with 2,500 or more people and a governing body. Rural an area containing few people and open land.

Look at Table 1 on p. 381. Why is rural land important to maintain?

Where we live
Pre 1850 USA
People lived in rural areas

Industrial Revolution
Fewer people needed on a farm Transportation moved manufacturers away People moved to cities Developing nations are following this trend.

Rural-Urban Connection
Ecosystem services
Clean water Fertile land Trees
Wood and paper Oxygen we breathe

Remember you eco-footprint. How much rural land is required for you to survive?

Urban land use

People live where they can work. For many people, this means living in cities.

If human population continues to grow, what do you think will happen to cities?

Land use planning

Determining in advance how land will be used.
Malls, sewers, electrical lines, roads, etc Complex and controversial Environmental concerns are considered Public can comment on these plans

Open Space
Scenic and Recreational Enjoyment
Parks, gardens, bicycle and hiking trails

Greenbelts
Open spaces left in their natural condition Read the last paragraph on p. 388. What are three benefits of open spaces in urban areas?

Types of land
Farmland - land used to grow crops and fruit Rangelands supports vegetation like grass, but not farmed Forest lands land with trees Parks and preserves natural areas protected from development

Urbanization
Movement of people from rural to urban areas.
Slow growth makes life easier
Roads Public transportation Green spaces

The Urban Crisis

Infrastructure all things built for public use
What is included in Hirams infrastructure? In Atlantas?

Rapid growth can outpace infrastructure

Urban sprawl
Rapid expansion of a city into a countryside.

What is needed to support a suburb?

Heat islands
Cities generate more heat than vegetation. Rain falls in a city
Carried into storm drains Does not evaporate in the city

Will this cool or heat the city?

Marginal Lands
Poorly suited for building
Coastlines, cliffs, mountains. Difficult to build, expensive to insure

Why might cities expand to marginal lands?

Transportation
Why are American cities difficult to navigate without a car? What are the benefits of mass transit?

Ecosystem services
Type of land Farmland Rangeland Forest land Ecosystem services

Parks and preserves

Land Management
And Conservation

Farmlands
Threat of paving, building 1996 Farmland Protection Program

Rangeland
Supports plants, but not farmed Used for grazing
Cows, goats, sheep Meat, milk, hides

As human pop. grows, so does need for rangeland

Rangeland - Problems
Overgrazing
eating too many plants native plants get replaced erosion loss of topsoil

Rangeland - Preserving
limiting herd sizes killing invasive species replanting native vegetation multiple water-holes (spread out herd)

Forest lands
Products paper, furniture, building lumber, oxygen Three categories
virgin forest never been cut native forest planted & managed tree farm crops

Cutting Trees
clear cut remove all trees selective cutting only cut older trees

Deforestation removing trees w/out replacing them Reforestation replanting or allowed to grow naturally

Parks and Preserves

1st national park Yellowstone Biosphere reserves include people in conservation plan Public lands (govt owned)
logging, mining, ranching hunting, fishing, wildlife protection

Wilderness
Protected from exploitation
OK - hiking, boating, fishing, research Not OK building, motorized vehicles Preserves nature Provides an escape Managed by volunteers