environmental contexts are concerned and
is desired by the society
while making sound economic sense.
This text gives the presentation of the basic principles of land use
planning, such as the principle of the iterative nature of the process or
the guidance for implementation. It also gives a sound and integrated
picture of the land use planning process.
Wherever groups of people use land and its resources,
land use is
planned, being aware of it or not. Land use does not consider produc-
tion only, but also land functions such as protected areas, land recrea-
tion, road building, waste disposal sides and use-restricted areas such
as buffer zones for regeneration groundwater,
buffer zones for traffic
noise, pollution, etc.
Land use planning is not only practiced when national authorities
intervene or as a result of development co-operation projects. Land
use planning happens in every society, even if the term is not used.
Land use planning deals with cases in which an intervention occurs in
order to improve land use and to sustain natural resources.
In the past,
decisions made on land use have resulted in the degradation of land
resources, or an imbalance between supply and demand of those re-
sources. Here, land use planning is understood as an instrument of the
technical co-operation used in the following types of projects:
- resources management (forestry, production systems compatible
with resources and agro forestry, pasture
management, nature protec-
tion and erosion control);
- rural regional development;
- community support and village development;
- government consultation (environmental strategy planning, agri-
cultural
sector planning, assessment of land potential).
These land use planning-guidelines are not intended to standardize
and impose compulsory procedures for all conceivable variants. It ap-
pears more appropriate to offer support for different situations, taking
into consideration the specific conditions of the technical co-
operation. In addition, the exact role and
scope of land use planning
within the technical co-operation has still to be determined according
to the context and local conditions by those responsible for planning
and implementation of projects.
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