Chapter 14-Land How We Use Land
Mar 27, 2015
Chapter 14-Land
How We Use Land
Land Use and Land Cover Land purposes: Farming, mining, cities, highways, neighborhoods, and recreation.Land cover- what you find on a patch of land
Urban land- Mainly buildings and roadsRural land- Few people and large areas of open space
Where We LiveUntil 1850- rural areas
Farmers, forest managers, miners, and mill workers
Industrial RevolutionMachinery, better transportationLoss of rural jobsUrban areas grew rapidly
Urban sprawlDeveloped countries between 1880 and 1950Now in developing countries
The Urban-Rural ConnectionPeople are dependant on resources produced in rural areas
Drinking waterFertile soilCroplandTreesOxygen
Ecosystem ServicesResources that are produced by natural and artificial ecosystems
Urban Explosion Research Activity
Example cities: Mexico City, Bombay, Sao Paulo, New York, Lagos, Los Angeles, Calcutta, Buenos Aires,
Tokyo, London, Beijing, Paris, Capetown, etc.
Students will research the major cities around the world for the following:
*Global location (continent, country, province, etc.)*population size*City size (land area)*Interesting facts
Chapter 14-Land
Urban Land Use
Urbanization
The movement of people from rural areas to cities1960- 70% of U.S. pop. Urban1980- 75% urbanMetropolitan areas- Combined towns and cities
The Urban CrisisOverwhelmed infrastructure
All the things society builds for public useLiving conditions deteriorate Worldwide infrastructure deterioration- the Urban CrisisEx: Page 359 Fig. 6
Urban SprawlRapid expansion of a city into the countryside surrounding a citySuburbsExample: Page 359 Fig. 7
Urbanization
Development of Marginal Lands
Land that is poorly suited for building Example: Page 360 figure 8
Heat Island- Increased temperature in a city
Generate and trap more heat Example: Page 360 Figure 9 ATL.Increased rainfallModerate by planting trees for shade and installing reflecting rooftops
Urban Planning
Land-use planning- Determining in advance how land will be used.
Intelligent Design- Use of Geographic Information System (GIS)• Computerized system for storing,
manipulating and viewing geographic data
• Example: Page 361 Figure 10
Urban Planning
TransportationTraffic problems Mass transit systems
• Use buses and trains • Save energy• Reduce highway
congestion• Reduce air pollution• Limit loss of land
Open Space Land within urban areas set aside for scenic and recreational enjoymentGreenbelts: Open areas left in their natural state
Chapter 14-Land
Land Management and Conservation
Farmlands
Land that is used to grow crops and fruitThreatened by urban development National farmland Protection Program (1996)
Rangelands
Lands that support different vegetation types and is not used for farming or timberMost common human use- grazingProblems: Overgrazing
Allowing more animals to graze than the land can supportInvader plant speciesAll vegetation eatenErosion
Rangelands
Maintaining the Range Public Rangelands Improvement Act (1978)• Reverse rangeland deterioration• Improve land management practices
– Kill invasive plants– Plant native vegetation– Fence areas to recover
Forest Lands
Trees harvested for products we use Forests also provide oxygen and remove carbon dioxideTimber harvesting lands:
Virgin forest- Never been harvested for timberNative forest- Planted and managedTree farms- Planted in rows and harvested like crops
Forest Lands
Selective cuttingRemoving only middle-aged or mature treesMore expensiveLess destructive
Clear-cuttingRemoving all the trees from an area of landDestroys wildlife habitatCauses soil erosion
Forest Lands
Deforestation The clearing of trees from an area without replacing them Reduces wildlife habitatCauses soil erosionPlowing increased erosion• Example: Great Depression of the 1930’s• Dust Bowl
Forest Lands
ReforestationProcess by which trees are planted to re-establish trees that have been cut down in a forest land
Parks and PreservesFirst national park- Yellowstone (1870’s)Today, about 50 national parksUnited Nations’s Man and the Biosphere Program
Biosphere preserves- Include people in management plan
Parks and Preserves
WildernessAn area in which the land and the ecosystems it supports are protected from all exploitationU.S. Wilderness Act (1964) designates wilderness areas• 32 million acres in U. S. • Buildings, roads, structures, and motor
vehicles not permitted
Parks and PreservesThreats to Protected Areas
Growing and increasingly mobile pop.Litter, air and water pollution Mining and loggingOil and gas drillingFactories, power plants, and urban areasClimate change
Benefits of Protected AreasSpecies are protected from extinctionUnspoiled deserts, forests, and prairiesRecreation, outdoor classrooms and research labs