Application of Gis Land Capability Classes for Forestry
Abstract
Environmentalists’ decision makers need the ability to integrate and correlate information from many different sectors in such a way that their relationships are moreeasily understood. To assess the potentials and carrying capacities of environmental systems, to monitor trends, to make projections, and to test solutions, managers require greatly improved access to information and better analytical support for decision making. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) represent an important approach that can provide this support. In this paper the land capability classes for forestry based on physiographic factors such as parent material, soil depth, aspect, slope, rill erosion and the vertical distribution of land cover classes have been used in order to give the forest manager of natural resources benefits from knowledge of the location, extent, and quality of the resources being managed.
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Introduction
The environment is a complex matrix of interrelated components access. The natural resources tapped for development require careful planning in order to decide the extent of its use for the present versus the reserves for the future thus adopting the sustainability concept. This essentially required first the extent of present use and the available potential. These data are to be provided to decision makers in order to help them to take scientific decisions.
Much information has traditionally been kept in hard copy (i.e., printed) format, as maps, reports and studies, or bulky data books and statistical tables. If the data can be digitized, a well-designed GIS can greatly enhance the accessibility and the utility of these materials for decision makers.
One of the current uses of GIS in support of sustainable development implementation is the estimation of natural resource capabilities (Luis Diaz-Balteiro and Carlos Romero 2008, Meliadis I. & M. Meliadis 2011).
The first stage in evaluating land and preparing a land-use plan to gather data to classify the land according to their use (called land suitability). Land capability, which is also considered as land suitability (FAO, 1978, 2000) is primarily the potential biological productivity of land. Productivity of land can be determined by four main components of the environment namely climate, local topography (ruggedness, steepness, exposure-which cause local variation in climate and disposition of soil type), soil and existing vegetation. The land capability classes place soils into general order of suitability or unsuitability for cultivation, forestry, grassland or other uses for sustained production. The soils that have the least limitation or hazard and respond best to management are placed in the higher order. It also evaluates soils with respect to their susceptibility to erosion, soil depth, drainage problem and other soil characteristics that would affect to sustained production of crops. In this district five different land capability units were identified.
Conclusion
This study demonstrates an attempt to use the available spatial information for the identification of suitable areas for forest timber production. According to the results of the study, it can be concluded that there is a high potential for forest timber production in the study area. The ability to incorporate and manage the different drivers of land-use change in a modelling process is one of the key challenges because they are complex and are both quantitative and qualitative in nature.
The area, which is suitable for timber production covers 800.343 hectares. In the area there are ten Forest Inspections which must be focused on each own area but having in mind the results of the surrounding areas, evaluating the use of GIS for timber production and sustainability development. The spatial forest modelling using GIS can substantially enhance the planning of harvesting strategies. Locations of forest stands, timber inventory data, ecologically sensitive areas, key attributes of the terrain, and other important factors, could be mapped and included for spatial analysis necessary in harvesting plan preparation. According to the management treatments the needed adaptations must be based in vegetation zones, land types for timber production and land classification. Spatial modelling tasks could help the forest manager and government officials see the economic, environmental and social impacts of the proposed harvest. GIS tools also help harvest planners to evaluate several road access alternatives – focusing on costs and their possible impacts.
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