Re-Imagining the Chicago River

Abstract

The Chicago River, though only a few miles long, has long been a focal point for human activities, as it forms the shortage land bridge between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River system. Through history, because of developments and events in the region and elsewhere, its role and use have chamged. Today, high-status residential development and recreational facilities are appearing along its banks.     

The Swedish Land Data Bank

Abstract

The Swedish Land Data Bank System has been developed in order to rationalize handling of data on real properties and land. The system replaces earlier manual systems for property and land registration. It interacts regularly with other EDP-based information systems and serves as a land information system (LIS) in a broad sense. The system is being steadily extended to cover all parts of the country. The costs for design, implementation and maintenance of the system are covered by reductions of costs for property and land registration.     

The Thailand Land Titling Project First steps in a parcel-based LIS†

Abstract

This paper describes the progress of the Land Titling Project in Thailand, the objectives of which are to issue titles to all eligible landholders, to improve land administration, to remap all urban areas and to establish a land valuation system. The significance of this project in the context of land information systems (LIS) is that its operations are essential preliminary steps in the development of an effective information system and its experience will therefore be of value in the many countries which are contemplating the establishment of such a system. Special features of the project which contribute to its success are outlined. The project will take twenty years and LIS will be a major activity in the second five-year phase (1990-1994), involving a multi-layer LIS in the Bangkok metropolis and parcel databases in provincial Land Offices.     

The feasibility of a land information system for Belize,Central America

Abstract

Limitations of the current land records systems in Belize, Central America, led leaders of the Ministry of Natural Resources to initiate this feasibility study for a computer-aided land information system (LIS). Land records in Belize have been based on the British Torrens land tenure system, which maintains five sets of records along with informative maps. One paper file is maintained for each title application and records are continually circulated between seven locations throughout the country, resulting in up to 3 years to complete the process of title registration. A LIS will permit quick access to land records and eliminate most of the current problems, and will merge with a geographic information system being developed for Belize.     

Modelling soil map-unit inclusions by Monte Carlo simulation

Abstract

Error and uncertainty in spatial databases have gained considerable attention in recent years. The concern is that, as in other computer applications and, indeed, all analyses, poor quality input data will yield even worse output. Various methods for analysis of uncertainty have been developed, but none has been shown to be directly applicable to an actual geographical information system application in the area of natural resources. In spatial data on natural resources in general, and in soils data in particular, a major cause of error is the inclusion of unmapped units within areas delineated on the map as uniform. In this paper, two alternative algorithms for simulating inclusions in categorical natural resource maps are detailed. Their usefulness is shown by a simplified Monte Carlo testing to evaluate the accuracy of agricultural land valuation using land use and the soil information. Using two test areas it is possible to show that errors of as much as 6 per cent may result in the process of land valuation, with simulated valuations both above and below the actual values. Thus, although an actual monetary cost of the error term is estimated here, it is not found to be large.     

A computerised decision support system for rural policy formulation

Abstract

A primary goal of the NERC/ESRC Land Use Programme (NELUP) was to design and build a decision support system (DSS) to model rural land use and its change due to environmental and agricultural policy. The effects of policies are measured in terms of economic, ecological and hydrological parameters, with land use and land cover being the uniting factors. The DSS incorporates access to a large database and a suite of complex models. The DSS is user-friendly, produces meaningful graphics, and is almost entirely mouse-driven. This paper describes the NELUP view of policy making and DSS, the NELUP database and the DSS models and interface philosophy and design. The results of workshops, conducted with potential users of the DSS, are discussed and summarised.     

Litteraturanmeldelser

Abstract

Tschudi, Aadel B. 1968. Land Use Problems on the Urban Fringe: the Case of Sorkedalen, Oslo. Norsk geogr. Tidsskr. 22, 252–263. This article is concerned with land use planning in urban fringe areas, in particular problems related to claims on land for recreation. Sørkedalen has been selected for its interest in showing how, in spite of strict regulations to preserve the existing cultural landscape, land use has been changing in accordance with the trend characteristic of fringe areas elsewhere. The conclusion is that realistic goals in planning depend on careful interpretation of the present situation.     

LOCATING EMPLOYMENT GROWTH IN URBAN AREAS TO MINIMIZE TRAVEL TIME

The transportation requirements of an urban area are, in part, a function of its land use pattern. Reducing travel in an urban area by effective land use design appears to be a worthwhile public policy objective. The planning model derived in this article uses as its core the matrix version of the Lowry model developed by Garin. The model allocates basic employment to the zones of an urban area in order to minimize work and service trips. A hypothetical planning problem for Metropolitan Toronto illustrates use of the model.     

青藏高原东部山地农牧区生计与耕地利用模式

This study examined livelihood diversification and cropland use pattern in Keerma village, located in Jinchuan County, eastern Tibetan Plateau. Through stratified random sampling survey, participatory rural appraisal, investigation of households＇ plots and statistical methods, 63 households and 272 cropland plots were systemically investigated and sampled. The results show： （1） Different types of household have variety livelihood strategies, portfolio and income. Livelihood diversification and introducing and expanding off-farm activities can be the future trend, whereas, adverse natural environment, socio-economic conditions and peasants＇ capabilities together affect sustainable livelihood and land use. （2） Each livelihood strategy has its own impact on land use, mainly affecting land use type and land use intensi- fication level. （3） Diversification into off-farm activities could be the key of building sustainable livelihood and the essential approach of realizing sustainable land use in the region.     

Perpetual Transformation: A Concept of Change and Choice

Abstract

The spectacular impact of oil upon the Arab world in recent years has overshadowed, but not erased, an ancient fact of life—the land has long been and remains the principal provider for the Arab masses. In the rural areas of North Africa and the Middle East, there is little evidence of benefit from oil wealth. Indeed, the condition of the peasant varies little from oil-rich to oil-poor lands. The lowly fellah (peasant) remains trapped in the crippling poverty of his ancient agricultural setting, as the best intentions of progressive governments are severely frustrated by the complexities of the problems. Morocco, with its relative abundance of water and arable land, is a particularly significant example; the plight and expectations of its peasantry in most ways reflect the entire Arab panorama of the slowly changing relationship between the fellah and his land. Through the microcosm of Morocco, then, this article will attempt to explore the principal ramifications of emerging agricultural change in the Arab world.     

China’s metropolises in transformation: neoliberalizing politics,land commodification,and uneven development in Beijing

ABSTRACT

Existing theory of urban transformation under neoliberalization describes cities as the institutional arena in and through which neoliberal strategies of urbanism emanate and are contested. Emphasis is placed on the interaction between state and market without paying adequate attention to their internal dynamics. This study of urban transformation in the Beijing metropolis identifies a distinct trajectory whereby commodification of urban land has been actively pursued in response to the decentralization of developmental responsibilities and recentralization of tax revenue collection instituted by the central state. An urban development strategy is practiced whereby land commodification, city planning, and mega event hosting are integrated and mutually reinforcing. The research shows a pattern of land commodification and development dominated by newly developed construction land in the near suburbs, and reveals a picture of increased spatial inequality and intensified social discontent as a consequence of city-centered land development. Contrary to popular perception of the state and market as diametrically opposed principles of political organization, the Chinese state is found to have transformed and reshuffled itself to embrace and take advantage of the market for its developmental agenda.     

Spatio-temporal analysis of land-use conversion in the eastern coastal China during 1996–2005

Based on the acquaintance of the regional background of urban-rural transformational development and investigations on the spot,this paper discusses the holistic situation, dominant factors and mechanism of arable land loss and land for construction occupation in the coastal area of China over the last decade,with the aid of GIS technology.Conclusions of the research are summarized as follows：（1）the arable land had been continuously decreasing from 1996 to 2005,with a loss of 1,708,700 hm^2 and an average decrement of 170,900 hm^2 per year;（2）land for construction increased 1,373,700 hm^2 ,with an average increment of 153,200 hm^2 per year;（3）total area of encroachment on arable land for construction between 1996 and 2005 was 1,053,100 hm^2 ,accounting for 34.03%of the arable land loss in the same period,the percentages of which used for industrial land（INL）,transportation land（TRL）,rural construction land（RUL）and town construction land（TOL）are 45.03%,15.8%,15.47%and 11.5%,respectively;and（4）the fluctuation of the increase of construction land and encroachment on arable land in the area were deeply influenced by the nation＇s macroscopic land-use policies and development level of regional economy.The growth of population and advancement of technology promoted the rapid industrialization, construction of transportation infrastructures,rural urbanization and expansion of rural settlements in the eastern coastal area,and therefore were the primary driving forces of land-use conversion.     

A CAUTIONARY NOTE ON THE USE OF THE ALLOMETRIC FUNCTION TO ESTIMATE URBAN POPULATIONS

Use of the allometric function to estimate the number of inhabitants of urban areas, given knowledge of their land areas obtained through satellite photographs, rests as much on the stability of this function over time as on its goodness of fit to a cross section of cities at a single point in time. Using urban land and population data for four countries, the United States, Japan, Sweden, and Norway, this paper demonstrates that the function is not generally stable but rather has been subject to rapid upward shifts over the past 10 to 20 years.     

The Nichols' Relief Model of the United States

Abstract

The agricultural system in West Pakistan is largely subsistence-oriented, and extensive areas are devoted to produce the low-value crops. Only a small portion of the total cropped area is used to raise cash crops. However, there are regional differences in cropland use in the province. The study focuses on regional variations in the cropping patterns in West Pakistan by establishing the crop combination areas. The crop combination areas also point out a land-use distinction between the areas. Also, the changes in some of the important crops in terms of their land occupancy in the area during the fifteen-year period have been analyzed.     

A GIS evaluation of land use dynamics and forest soil fertility in a watershed in Nepal

Abstract

A geographical information system (GIS) based study was carried out in a densely-populated watershed in Nepal. An evaluation of land use change between 1972 and 1990 indicated that there has been an increase in forest and agricultural land area and a decrease in shrubland and grassland area. GIS techniques were used to produce single and composite fertility index maps, which can be used for problem identification and planning. These maps indicate that forest soil fertility is generally poor in the watershed. GIS was found to be very beneficial in addressing critical resource issues in small watersheds in developing countries.     

Land Classification Maps of Areas Basic to Agricultural Production

Abstract

Einevoll, O. 1968. Land Classification Maps of Areas Basic to Agricultural Production. Norsk geogr. Tidsskr. 22, 264–270.

In Norway, a detailed land survey, based on photogrammetry, is now proceeding for land classification maps of the scale 1:5,000 (for certain minor areas 1:10,000) covering agricultural areas and including forest land. The areas to be mapped are classified according to land capability and general conditions of management. Containing a great deal of additional information as well, these maps will serve as a valuable aid in land use planning. The survey is designed to be completed in 12–15 year's time.

More roughly designed maps for the entire country on the scale 1:100,000 and 1:250,000, printed in colour, will be produced within two years' time. Intermediate maps of 1:20,000, containing an extended number of land types, will be undertaken gradually, after the appearance of the large scale map series. Property boundaries recorded in connexion with the surveying for the large scale maps will serve as the basis for a complete land register containing exact information about size and land properties of individual holdings.     

Enclosing the land: Cotton,population growth and tenure in Mali

On-going tenure changes in the cotton zone in southern Mali are discussed. Land tenure in the area is changing and adapting to the rapid agricultural development taking place. This adaptation supports the main tenets of Property Rights Theory (PRT). The driving forces behind enclosure of land rights as described by PRT, such as population pressure and increased market access, are acknowledged. Enclosure takes two forms in the study area. First, some customary authorities in villages where population pressure is relatively high attempt to restrict access to pastures and woods on village land to create exclusive village commons. Second, holdings are being subdivided and farmers are increasingly confining their fields through tree planting. Except around the towns, where semi-formal land sales are becoming increasingly frequent, this individualisation does not imply exclusive and absolute private property to land. Bundles of overlapping rights still exist where various individuals or groups control access to different resources on the same piece of land.     

THE FARMLAND CONVERSION DEBATE: NALS AND BEYOND∗

The need to protect high quality agricultural land through public policies and programs at various levels of government has been debated in the U.S. for at least three decades. This article reviews the evolution of the debate before 1979, the ill-fated attempt of the National Agricultural Lands Study (NALS) (1979–1981) to resolve the debate, and the current status of the land conversion issue. Articulation of the issue has been impeded by confusion of objectives, semantic problems, unreliability of land conversion data, and excess capacity in the American farm economy. Land conversion estimates published in 1977 by the Soil Conservation Service and relied upon by NALS have proven to be misleading in light of the 1982 National Resources Inventory. State and local programs to discourage farmland conversion are justifiable in terms of land use planning objectives, maintenance of a viable local farm economy, and avoidance of undue reliance upon marginal lands requiring costly technical inputs.     

西安市土地利用与环境关系的协调研究

In this paper we adopt annual land use conditions change data, land sifting data, social, economic and population data and environment information of nine districts and four counties in Xi＇an city from 1980 to 2000 to analyze its structural and degree change of land use since the 1980s, and calculate the benefits and transformation of land use type. The results show that the non-agricultural land increased rapidly, especially the urban and rural residential spots and industrial and mining （RIM） land use increased mostly rapidly, an increase of 64%. Meanwhile, the intensity of land exploitation was accelerating, land was transformed to industries with better benefit and areas experiencing faster urbanization process. By analyzing the harmonious degree of land exploitation in economic and environmental aspects, we find out that the land use imbalance mainly existed in the municipal area of Xi＇an, and the imbalance index of land use based on GDP and non-agricultural population were respectively 12.37 and 14.67 in 2000, which were far higher than those in other regions. Nevertheless the environmental harmonious degree in the municipal area of Xi＇an ranges between 0.6 and 0.8, which was better than that of suburban area. Some proposals addressing to the problems of harmonious level in all scales, resources utilization, projects management and feasibility analysis and intensive urbanization are also put forward.     

ODD VOLLAN: Ishavsfart. Selfangsten fra Suimmøre gjennem femti år

What is political geography?

Friedrich Ratzel is usually acknowledged as the father of political geography. His Politische Geographie was published in 1897. Reflections on the influence of geography on political events were, of course, made long before Ratzel's time. Herodot tells how the Persians wanted Cyrus to take them to a more fertile land, suitable for a Herrenvolk. The king declined, arguing that such a step might change them into a weak and decadent people. Similar ideas have often been expressed and are not unknown in our own time.

Herodot tells how the Persians wanted Cyrus to take them to a more fertile land, suitable for a Herrenvolk. The king declined, arguing that such a step might change them into a weak and decadent people. Similar ideas have often been expressed and are not unknown in our own time.

Ratzel's definition of political geography was:

Political geography studies and teaches the connection between spatial facts and political conditions, events and developments.