scholarly journals Integrating Land-Use and Renewable Energy Planning Decisions: A Technical Mapping Guide for Local Government

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 324
Author(s):  
Jiaao Guo ◽  
Victoria Fast ◽  
Philip Teri ◽  
Kirby Calvert
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Emission Reduction ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Planning Decisions ◽  
Environmentally Sensitive ◽  
Utility Scale

Land-based, utility-scale renewable energy (RE) systems using wind or solar resources to generate electricity is becoming a decisive solution to meet long-term carbon emission reduction goals. Local governments are responding in kind, by adopting their own goals and/or establishing policies to facilitate successful implementations of RE in their jurisdiction. One factor to successful RE development is to locate the most suitable lands, while continuing to sustain land-based economies and ecosystem services. Local governments often have limited resources; and this is especially true for small, land-constrained local governments. In this paper, we illustrate how a standardized RE technical mapping framework can be used by local governments to advance the implementation of RE in land-constrained areas, through a case study in the Town of Canmore, Alberta. Canmore has a limited municipal area surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, along with complex land-use bylaw and environmentally sensitive habitats. This mapping framework accounts for these conditions as it considers theoretical resources, technically recoverable lands, legally accessible lands, and the spatial capital cost of connecting new RE facilities. Different land-use planning scenarios are considered including changing setback buffers and expanding restrictions on development to all environmentally sensitive districts. The total RE potentials are then estimated based on the least-conflict lands. Technically speaking, even under restrictive land suitability scenarios, Canmore holds enough land to achieve ambitious RE targets, but opportunities and challenges to implementation remain. To eventually succeed in its long-term emission reduction goal, the most decisive step for Canmore is to balance the growth of energy demands, land-use changes, and practicable RE development. Mapping systems that can study the influence of land-use planning decisions on RE potential are critical to achieving this balance.

Reconnaissance Mapping for Land-use Planning in the Natal Drakensberg, South Africa

1977 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald G. Garland ◽  
J. Pelham Chisholm ◽  
Colin R. Christian
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Mass Movement ◽  
Land Use Pattern ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Reconnaissance Survey ◽  
Adequate Understanding ◽  
Geomorphological Processes ◽  
Detailed Work

Changes in land-use can have an important effect on rates of erosion and denudation. In order to avoid accelerating erosion rates, decision makers in land-use planning require adequate information on the contemporary geomorphological processes and hydrology of areas where modifications in the land-use pattern are envisaged. The first phase in the acquisition of the information is the reconnaissance survey, which shows where and how the erosional status of an area is likely to be affected, and also acts as a foundation on which to base more detailed work in the future.The Solitude area is an active erosional system, dominated by mass movement and fluvial processes. The rate of removal of material is likely to be increased by modifications in land-use which, from other points of view, would be considered entirely suitable for the area. Therefore, if accelerated denudation is to be avoided, projects involving land-use changes should be implemented only by those having an adequate understanding of the mechanism of geomorphological processes operating in the area.

scholarly journals A method for multi-hazard mapping in poorly known volcanic areas: an example from Kanlaon (Philippines)

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1929-1943 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Neri ◽  
G. Le Cozannet ◽  
P. Thierry ◽  
C. Bignami ◽  
J. Ruch
Keyword(s):  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Volcanic Hazards ◽  
Mapping Method ◽  
Hazard Mapping ◽  
Hazard Map ◽  
Event Tree ◽  
Planning Decisions ◽  
Civil Defence ◽  
Term Data

Abstract. Hazard mapping in poorly known volcanic areas is complex since much evidence of volcanic and non-volcanic hazards is often hidden by vegetation and alteration. In this paper, we propose a semi-quantitative method based on hazard event tree and multi-hazard map constructions developed in the frame of the FP7 MIAVITA project. We applied this method to the Kanlaon volcano (Philippines), which is characterized by poor geologic and historical records. We combine updated geological (long-term) and historical (short-term) data, building an event tree for the main types of hazardous events at Kanlaon and their potential frequencies. We then propose an updated multi-hazard map for Kanlaon, which may serve as a working base map in the case of future unrest. The obtained results extend the information already contained in previous volcanic hazard maps of Kanlaon, highlighting (i) an extensive, potentially active ~5 km long summit area striking north–south, (ii) new morphological features on the eastern flank of the volcano, prone to receiving volcanic products expanding from the summit, and (iii) important riverbeds that may potentially accumulate devastating mudflows. This preliminary study constitutes a basis that may help local civil defence authorities in making more informed land use planning decisions and in anticipating future risk/hazards at Kanlaon. This multi-hazard mapping method may also be applied to other poorly known active volcanoes.

scholarly journals The MODIS Global Vegetation Fractional Cover Product 2001–2018: Characteristics of Vegetation Fractional Cover in Grasslands and Savanna Woodlands

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Hill ◽  
Juan P. Guerschman
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Fractional Cover ◽  
Grassland Type ◽  
Global Vegetation ◽  
Global Indicator

Vegetation Fractional Cover (VFC) is an important global indicator of land cover change, land use practice and landscape, and ecosystem function. In this study, we present the Global Vegetation Fractional Cover Product (GVFCP) and explore the levels and trends in VFC across World Grassland Type (WGT) Ecoregions considering variation associated with Global Livestock Production Systems (GLPS). Long-term average levels and trends in fractional cover of photosynthetic vegetation (FPV), non-photosynthetic vegetation (FNPV), and bare soil (FBS) are mapped, and variation among GLPS types within WGT Divisions and Ecoregions is explored. Analysis also focused on the savanna-woodland WGT Formations. Many WGT Divisions showed wide variation in long-term average VFC and trends in VFC across GLPS types. Results showed large areas of many ecoregions experiencing significant positive and negative trends in VFC. East Africa, Patagonia, and the Mitchell Grasslands of Australia exhibited large areas of negative trends in FNPV and positive trends FBS. These trends may reflect interactions between extended drought, heavy livestock utilization, expanded agriculture, and other land use changes. Compared to previous studies, explicit measurement of FNPV revealed interesting additional information about vegetation cover and trends in many ecoregions. The Australian and Global products are available via the GEOGLAM RAPP (Group on Earth Observations Global Agricultural Monitoring Rangeland and Pasture Productivity) website, and the scientific community is encouraged to utilize the data and contribute to improved validation.

scholarly journals Satellite Imaging and Long-Term Mosquito Surveillance Implicate the Influence of Rapid Urbanization on Culex Vector Populations

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 269
Author(s):  
Eleanor N. Field ◽  
Ryan E. Tokarz ◽  
Ryan C. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Culex Pipiens ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Mosquito Species ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Mosquito Surveillance

The ecology and environmental conditions of a habitat have profound influences on mosquito population abundance. As a result, mosquito species vary in their associations with particular habitat types, yet long-term studies showing how mosquito populations shift in a changing ecological landscape are lacking. To better understand how land use changes influence mosquito populations, we examined mosquito surveillance data over a thirty-four-year period for two contrasting sites in central Iowa. One site displayed increasing levels of urbanization over time and a dramatic decline in Culex pipiens group (an informal grouping of Culex restuans, Culex pipiens, and Culex salinarius, referred to as CPG), the primary vectors of West Nile virus in central Iowa. Similar effects were also shown for other mosquito vector populations, yet the abundance of Aedes vexans remained constant during the study period. This is in contrast to a second site, which reflected an established urban landscape. At this location, there were no significant changes in land use and CPG populations remained constant. Climate data (temperature, total precipitation) were compiled for each location to see if these changes could account for altered population dynamics, but neither significantly influence CPG abundance at the respective site locations. Taken together, our data suggest that increased landscape development can have negative impacts on Culex vector populations, and we argue that long-term surveillance paired with satellite imagery analysis are useful methods for measuring the impacts of rapid human development on mosquito vector communities. As a result, we believe that land use changes can have important implications for mosquito management practices, population modeling, and disease transmission dynamics.

Towards Protection of Scenic Resources

1980 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Dearden
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Renewable Resource ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Scenic Beauty ◽  
Planning Decisions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Visual Resource ◽  
Spiritual Resource

This essay has sought to draw together some of the reasons behind the recent upsurge in interest in the systematic evaluation of scenic beauty. It has covered a wide range of disciplines, because of the multi-faceted nature of feelings about landscape. These feelings have been synthesized into four themes representing landscape as a non-renewable resource, as a recreational resource, as a spiritual resource, and finally as a historical resource. Undoubtedly many other equally valid reasons exist as to why the visual resource of the landscape should be recognized as an important consideration in land-use planning decisions.

scholarly journals ARAHAN PENGGUNAAN LAHAN DAN PERENCANAAN KONSERVASI TANAH DAN AIR DI DAS YEH EMPAS, TABANAN, BALI

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
I Gusti Agung Lanang Widyantara ◽  
I Nyoman Merit ◽  
I Wayan Sandi Adnyana
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Daily Rainfall ◽  
Research Area ◽  
High Density ◽  
Scoring Method ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Erosion Prediction ◽  
Slope Factor

Damage to forest resources has caused the environmental balance of watersheds (DAS) becomes damaged. It often causes the result of high levels of erosion. One of the land use changes that are currently happening is in Yeh Empas watershed. With this research can be known the proposed land use and appropriate land use planning on Yeh Empas watershed. Erosion prediction using the USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation) method is to estimate how much the rate of erosion is happening and also to get an idea how good land management actions for the region. The proposed land use determination is using the scoring method by combining the slope factor of the field, the soil sensitivity of erosion, and the intensity of daily rainfall. Soil sampling was done by taking soil samples from a total of 11 samples of soil from the land unit. This research conducted to estimate the rate of erosion, to determines how much erosion can be tolerated in Yeh Empas watershed, and its relationship with the factors that influence it, as well as to determine the proposed of land use. The results of erosion prediction on each unit of land in the research area ranged from 1.75 to 1,254.96 tons/ha/year and has a grade level of erosion from slight to very severe. The result of tolerated erosion ranged from 15.06 to 24.32 tons/ha/year. The value of erosion prediction that exceeded from tolerated erosion value occurs on land units 7, 8, and 9. On that land units required proposed of land use and soil conservation techniques so that the value of erosion prediction could be below from tolerated erosion value. The analysis results of the proposed land use in Yeh Empas watershed, for areas inside the forest is proposed to protected forest (land units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) and the management is by planting plants that are adapted to the contour lines of slope. In the areas outside the forest is proposed for annual crop cultivation area (land units 7, 8, and 9)the management with the farming plantation development, high density growing crops and terracing and also for crops cultivation area (land units 10 and 11) management by mulching, cover soil with high density and terracing.

scholarly journals RAPELD: a modification of the Gentry method for biodiversity surveys in long-term ecological research sites

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Magnusson ◽  
Albertina P. Lima ◽  
Regina Luizão ◽  
Flávio Luizão ◽  
Flávia R. C. Costa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Amazon Basin ◽  
Local People ◽  
Ecological Research ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Biological Surveys ◽  
Incomplete Coverage ◽  
Long Term Ecological Research

Our objectives were to develop a method that would be appropriate for long-term ecological studies, but that would permit rapid surveys to evaluate biotic complementarity and land-use planning in Amazonia. The Amazon basin covers about 7 million km². Therefore, even a sparse coverage, with one sample site per 10.000 km², would require about 700 sampling sites. Financial considerations limit the number of sites and investment at each site, but incomplete coverage makes evaluation of biotic complementarity difficult or impossible (Reddy & Dávalos 2003). Our next challenge is to install similar systems throughout Amazonia. The cost, based on modification of Al Gentry's original design is moderate (less than US$ 50.000 per site if it is not necessary to immediately identify all vascular plants in plots) and we can obtain RAP results for most taxa in the short term at much lower cost. However, biological surveys will only be relevant if the local people participate and the surveys serve as much to teach the local communities about the value of their natural resources as they serve to teach the international community about biodiversity. Therefore, we want to see each site run as a long-term ecological research project by local people and institutions. Biological surveys are an important tool in land-use planning, but only the local people can implement those plans.

scholarly journals Relationships between landslides and land use changes in the Sanbagawa and Mikabu Belts, Shikoku, Japan

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Roxanne Lai ◽  
Takashi Oguchi
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Landslide Susceptibility ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Land Abandonment ◽  
Crystalline Schist ◽  
Agricultural Abandonment ◽  
Landslide Kinematics

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Changing land use is an increasingly important issue as human habits, behaviors, and needs change. There has been an increase in land and agricultural abandonment in some places of the world. In Japan, movement of the population from rural to urban areas have resulted in much land and agricultural abandonment. In 2016, a land ministry survey showed that 4.1 million hectares of land in Japan had unclear ownership, with farmland making up 16.9% of the total. As vegetation cover changes after land abandonment, this temporal and spatial effect may have important effects on geomorphic processes such as landslide susceptibility and landslide kinematics.</p><p>Here we track long-term land use changes over vegetated landslide areas of the Sanbagawa and Mikabu Belts of Shikoku Island, Japan. The Sanbagawa and Mikabu Belts are metamorphic belts that run across Southwest Japan, and are home to numerous large crystalline schist landslides, including the widely-studied slow but continuously moving Zentoku landslide. Villages and communities have been built on these landslide areas due to historical and cultural factors, as well as the fertility of the soil. Consequently, given the changing land uses including land abandonment in these landslide areas over time, we use long-term high-resolution land cover vegetation datasets to examine first the long-term land use changes, and then use statistical methods to explore their relationships with landslide susceptibility and kinematics. Mapping of spatial data and their analysis using GIS constitute a core part of the research. The results suggest interconnections between land use changes and land movement.</p>

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document