Soil Surveys and Land Use Planning

"Land-use planning" is an expression that we shall be hearing more often in the future. As the population expands, all uses of land and soil become more competitive. Good agricultural land will be under increasing pressure from urban growth and expanding public facilities such as highways and airports. These demands are unique to our time, reflecting the increasing importance of land as living space. It has been estimated that by 1980, over 38 million acres of farm land will be taken over for nonagricultural use. Much of this will be taken from our supply of irreplaceable, highly productive soils because the steep, rough areas are much less desirable for urban and public facility development. Most of the decisions will be irreversible, so the importance of sound land-use planning is evident. Furthermore, with the ever larger areas of soil being devoted to housing, factories, highways, and the like, there is an increasing danger of costly mistakes in locating structures on soils ill suited to the particular purpose. In many communities over the country such experience has focused attention on the importance of matching soil characteristics to the requirements for specific uses. Regional and community planners as well as soil scientists are aware of this need. They are joining forces with increasing frequency to deal with problems ranging in scope from broad, regional, land-use planning to specifications for individual structure sites.

• Format: Misc.
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0891188894
• ISBN13: 9780891188896
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Acsess