LandLandChapter 14Chapter 14

Land Use, Land CoverLand Use, Land Cover Land Use:Land Use: farming, mining, building farming, mining, building

cities and highways and recreationcities and highways and recreation Land Cover:Land Cover: what you find on a patch what you find on a patch

of landof land Urban: land covered mainly by buildings Urban: land covered mainly by buildings

and roadsand roads Rural: land that contains relatively few Rural: land that contains relatively few

people and large areas of open spacepeople and large areas of open space

Where we liveWhere we live Before 1850 most Americans lived in Before 1850 most Americans lived in

rural communitiesrural communities Industrial revolution changed this Industrial revolution changed this

patternpattern Machinery replaced people in farming Machinery replaced people in farming

and grain mill industryand grain mill industry Better transportationBetter transportation People had to move to city to find jobsPeople had to move to city to find jobs

The Urban-Rural The Urban-Rural ConnectionConnection

Whether people live in cities or Whether people live in cities or countryside, people are dependent countryside, people are dependent on resources produced by rural on resources produced by rural areas.areas. Ecosystem Services: resources that are Ecosystem Services: resources that are

produced by natural and artificial produced by natural and artificial ecosystemsecosystems

Ecosystem ServicesEcosystem Services

Area of rural land needed to support Area of rural land needed to support one person depends on many one person depends on many factors, such as the climate, the factors, such as the climate, the standard of living and how standard of living and how efficiently resources are used. efficiently resources are used. In the United States each person used In the United States each person used

the services for more than 12 the services for more than 12 hectacreshectacres

Ecosystem ServicesEcosystem ServicesExamplesExamples

Purification of air and waterPurification of air and water

Preservation of soil and renewal of soil fertilityPreservation of soil and renewal of soil fertility

Prevention of flood and droughtPrevention of flood and drought

Regulation of climateRegulation of climate

Maintenance of biodiversityMaintenance of biodiversity

Movement and cycling of nutrientsMovement and cycling of nutrients

Detoxification and decomposition of wastesDetoxification and decomposition of wastes

Aesthetic beauty Aesthetic beauty

UrbanizationUrbanization

The movement of people from rural The movement of people from rural areas to citiesareas to cities In 1960, 70% was urban; by 1980 75%; In 1960, 70% was urban; by 1980 75%;

now 81% of U.S. population is now 81% of U.S. population is considered urbanconsidered urban

Areas that have grown slowly are Areas that have grown slowly are usually pleasant places to live because usually pleasant places to live because they can handle the growththey can handle the growth

United States PopulationUnited States Population

The Urban CrisisThe Urban Crisis When cities grow too fast they often When cities grow too fast they often

run into troublerun into trouble A growing population can overwhelm A growing population can overwhelm

the infrastructurethe infrastructure Infrastructure: roads, sewers, railroads, Infrastructure: roads, sewers, railroads,

bridges, canals, fire and police stations, bridges, canals, fire and police stations, schools, hospital, water mains and schools, hospital, water mains and power linespower lines

When more people live in an area the When more people live in an area the living conditions deteriorate. living conditions deteriorate.

Urban SprawlUrban Sprawl Rapid expansion of a Rapid expansion of a

city into the city into the countryside around countryside around the city.the city. Building of suburbsBuilding of suburbs These people usually These people usually

commute to workcommute to work Each year in the U.S. Each year in the U.S.

suburbs spread over suburbs spread over another 2.5 million another 2.5 million acres of landacres of land

Development of LandsDevelopment of Lands Marginal Lands: land poorly suited for Marginal Lands: land poorly suited for

buildingbuilding Examples: L.A. and Mexico CityExamples: L.A. and Mexico City Cities were built with little room to grow, so Cities were built with little room to grow, so

they have to grow into surrounding mountains they have to grow into surrounding mountains or slopesor slopes

Urban PlanningUrban Planning

Land-Use Planning: Land-Use Planning: determining in determining in advance how land will be usedadvance how land will be used For businesses, factories, recreation, For businesses, factories, recreation,

shopping and other infrastructureshopping and other infrastructure Many companies are required to give a Many companies are required to give a

detailed report of their plans, and the detailed report of their plans, and the potential environmental impact of the potential environmental impact of the projectproject

GISGIS

Geographic Geographic Information SystemsInformation Systems a computerized a computerized

system for storing, system for storing, manipulating and manipulating and viewing geographic viewing geographic datadata

TransportationTransportation

Some cities were built after Some cities were built after the invention of the car, so the invention of the car, so planning for such was not planning for such was not as hardas hard

Many cities have to plan for Many cities have to plan for mass transit systemsmass transit systems Save energy, reduce highway Save energy, reduce highway

congestion, reduce air congestion, reduce air pollution and limit loss of pollution and limit loss of landland

Land Management & Land Management & ConservationConservation

Farmlands: land used for crops and Farmlands: land used for crops and fruit.fruit. The U.S. uses almost 100 million The U.S. uses almost 100 million

hectacres for prime farmlandhectacres for prime farmland These areas are often threatened by These areas are often threatened by

urban growth urban growth Farmland Protection Program (1996)Farmland Protection Program (1996)

Land Management & Land Management & ConservationConservation

Rangelands: lands that support Rangelands: lands that support different vegetation types but are different vegetation types but are not used for farming or timbernot used for farming or timber Most common use is for livestockMost common use is for livestock The current world population growth The current world population growth

may require a 40% increase in food may require a 40% increase in food production of rangeland from 1977 to production of rangeland from 1977 to 20302030

RangelandsRangelands

ProblemsProblems Most damage is done due to Most damage is done due to

overgrazing (allowing more animals to overgrazing (allowing more animals to graze in an area than the range can graze in an area than the range can support)support)

Results in changes in the plant Results in changes in the plant community, once all the plants are community, once all the plants are gone, there is nothing to keep the soil gone, there is nothing to keep the soil erodingeroding

RangelandsRangelands

Maintaining the Range: Maintaining the Range: Sustaining productivity means Sustaining productivity means

reducing overgrazing by limiting herds reducing overgrazing by limiting herds to sizes that do not degrade the land.to sizes that do not degrade the land.

Leaving the land to rest, so vegetation Leaving the land to rest, so vegetation can growcan grow

Digging several water holesDigging several water holes

Forest LandsForest Lands

Trees are harvested for a variety of Trees are harvested for a variety of productsproducts

They are also important for They are also important for ecosystem services, the most ecosystem services, the most important removing COimportant removing CO22 from the from the atmosphereatmosphere

Forest LandsForest Lands Harvesting TreesHarvesting Trees

On average each person used On average each person used 1,800cm1,800cm33 of wood per day (in the U.S. of wood per day (in the U.S. we use almost 4x that much)we use almost 4x that much) A 30m (~90ft) tree each yearA 30m (~90ft) tree each year

People in developing countries use People in developing countries use trees for firewoodtrees for firewood

Forest LandsForest Lands

ClassificationClassification of forest trees of forest trees VirginVirgin

Forest that has never been cutForest that has never been cut

NativeNative Forest that is planted and managedForest that is planted and managed

Tree FarmsTree Farms Trees are planted in rows and harvested Trees are planted in rows and harvested

like other cropslike other crops

Harvesting TreesHarvesting Trees

Clear-cuttingClear-cutting Removing all trees from an area of Removing all trees from an area of

landland Can cause soil erosion and destruction Can cause soil erosion and destruction

of wildlife habitatof wildlife habitat Selective cuttingSelective cutting

Cutting and removing only middle aged Cutting and removing only middle aged or mature treesor mature trees

More expensive, less destructiveMore expensive, less destructive

Clear CuttingClear Cutting

Selective Selective CuttingCutting

DeforestationDeforestation The clearing of trees The clearing of trees

from an area without from an area without replacementreplacement Due to population Due to population

expansion and expansion and demands for timberdemands for timber

Reduces wildlife Reduces wildlife habitat, causes soil habitat, causes soil erosionerosion

Rate is high in tropical Rate is high in tropical rain forestsrain forests

Borneo deforestion

ReforestationReforestation

The process by which trees are The process by which trees are planted to re-establish trees that planted to re-establish trees that have been cut down in a forest landhave been cut down in a forest land Some parts of the country require Some parts of the country require

reforestation after timber has been reforestation after timber has been harvested from public landharvested from public land

90% of all timber comes from 90% of all timber comes from unmanaged forestsunmanaged forests

Parks and ReservesParks and Reserves

Wilderness: an area in which the Wilderness: an area in which the land and the ecosystems it supports land and the ecosystems it supports are protected from all exploitationare protected from all exploitation In the U.S. 32 million acres have been In the U.S. 32 million acres have been

designated as wildernessdesignated as wilderness

Benefits of Protected Benefits of Protected AreasAreas

Without protected areas many Without protected areas many species would now be extinctspecies would now be extinct Provide the only place where unspoiled Provide the only place where unspoiled

forests, deserts, or prairies remainforests, deserts, or prairies remain Recreation, outdoor Recreation, outdoor

classrooms and classrooms and

research laboratoriesresearch laboratories

Threats to Protected Threats to Protected AreasAreas

Litter and traffic in Litter and traffic in conservation areasconservation areas

Industry built close Industry built close Climate changeClimate change