Chapter 14-Land

How We Use Land

Land Use and Land Cover Land purposes: Farming, mining, cities, highways, neighborhoods, and recreation.Land cover- what you find on a patch of land

Urban land- Mainly buildings and roadsRural land- Few people and large areas of open space

Where We LiveUntil 1850- rural areas

Farmers, forest managers, miners, and mill workers

Industrial RevolutionMachinery, better transportationLoss of rural jobsUrban areas grew rapidly

Urban sprawlDeveloped countries between 1880 and 1950Now in developing countries

The Urban-Rural ConnectionPeople are dependant on resources produced in rural areas

Drinking waterFertile soilCroplandTreesOxygen

Ecosystem ServicesResources that are produced by natural and artificial ecosystems

Urban Explosion Research Activity

Example cities: Mexico City, Bombay, Sao Paulo, New York, Lagos, Los Angeles, Calcutta, Buenos Aires,

Tokyo, London, Beijing, Paris, Capetown, etc.

Students will research the major cities around the world for the following:

*Global location (continent, country, province, etc.)*population size*City size (land area)*Interesting facts

Chapter 14-Land

Urban Land Use

Urbanization

The movement of people from rural areas to cities1960- 70% of U.S. pop. Urban1980- 75% urbanMetropolitan areas- Combined towns and cities

The Urban CrisisOverwhelmed infrastructure

All the things society builds for public useLiving conditions deteriorate Worldwide infrastructure deterioration- the Urban CrisisEx: Page 359 Fig. 6

Urban SprawlRapid expansion of a city into the countryside surrounding a citySuburbsExample: Page 359 Fig. 7

Urbanization

Development of Marginal Lands

Land that is poorly suited for building Example: Page 360 figure 8

Heat Island- Increased temperature in a city

Generate and trap more heat Example: Page 360 Figure 9 ATL.Increased rainfallModerate by planting trees for shade and installing reflecting rooftops

Urban Planning

Land-use planning- Determining in advance how land will be used.

Intelligent Design- Use of Geographic Information System (GIS)• Computerized system for storing,

manipulating and viewing geographic data

• Example: Page 361 Figure 10

Urban Planning

TransportationTraffic problems Mass transit systems

• Use buses and trains • Save energy• Reduce highway

congestion• Reduce air pollution• Limit loss of land

Open Space Land within urban areas set aside for scenic and recreational enjoymentGreenbelts: Open areas left in their natural state

Chapter 14-Land

Land Management and Conservation

Farmlands

Land that is used to grow crops and fruitThreatened by urban development National farmland Protection Program (1996)

Rangelands

Lands that support different vegetation types and is not used for farming or timberMost common human use- grazingProblems: Overgrazing

Allowing more animals to graze than the land can supportInvader plant speciesAll vegetation eatenErosion

Rangelands

Maintaining the Range Public Rangelands Improvement Act (1978)• Reverse rangeland deterioration• Improve land management practices

– Kill invasive plants– Plant native vegetation– Fence areas to recover

Forest Lands

Trees harvested for products we use Forests also provide oxygen and remove carbon dioxideTimber harvesting lands:

Virgin forest- Never been harvested for timberNative forest- Planted and managedTree farms- Planted in rows and harvested like crops

Forest Lands

Selective cuttingRemoving only middle-aged or mature treesMore expensiveLess destructive

Clear-cuttingRemoving all the trees from an area of landDestroys wildlife habitatCauses soil erosion

Forest Lands

Deforestation The clearing of trees from an area without replacing them Reduces wildlife habitatCauses soil erosionPlowing increased erosion• Example: Great Depression of the 1930’s• Dust Bowl

Forest Lands

ReforestationProcess by which trees are planted to re-establish trees that have been cut down in a forest land

Parks and PreservesFirst national park- Yellowstone (1870’s)Today, about 50 national parksUnited Nations’s Man and the Biosphere Program

Biosphere preserves- Include people in management plan

Parks and Preserves

WildernessAn area in which the land and the ecosystems it supports are protected from all exploitationU.S. Wilderness Act (1964) designates wilderness areas• 32 million acres in U. S. • Buildings, roads, structures, and motor

vehicles not permitted

Parks and PreservesThreats to Protected Areas

Growing and increasingly mobile pop.Litter, air and water pollution Mining and loggingOil and gas drillingFactories, power plants, and urban areasClimate change

Benefits of Protected AreasSpecies are protected from extinctionUnspoiled deserts, forests, and prairiesRecreation, outdoor classrooms and research labs