Preparing Land Use Land Capability Plan Study Guide

Occupational Standard and Module Overview

Module Title: Preparing Land Use Land Capability Plan
Occupational Standard: Natural Resources Conservation and Development Level – III (Based on March 2022, Version-IV)
LG Codes: AGR NRC3 M03 LO (1-4) LG (9-12)
TTLM Code: AGR NRC3 TTLM0623v1
Date and Location: June 2023, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Scope: This module covers the knowledge, attitudes, and skills required for collecting land information, identify problems, prioritizing issues, assessing opportunities, determining land capability classes, and developing/implementing strategic land-use plans.

Basic Terminologies in Land Use Planning

Land: An essential natural resource for human survival, prosperity, and the maintenance of all terrestrial ecosystems.
Land Use: The use of land for specific purposes to produce goods and services, including crops, timber, livestock, sewerage, roads, settlements, schools, and hospitals.
Land Cover: The physical and biological characteristics of the land surface, such as vegetation, water bodies, bare soil, or built-up areas.
Land Unit: A homogenous area of land with similar characteristics and qualities used for a specific purpose or set of purposes.
Land-Use Planning: The systematic assessment of land and water potential, alternatives for land use, and economic and social conditions to select and adopt the best options.

LO#1: Collect Land Information (LG #9)

Tools and Equipment for Land Use Planning

GIS (Geographic Information System) Software: Used to create and analyze maps of land features and resources to identify patterns and relationships.
GPS (Global Positioning System) Receivers: Satellite-signaling devices used to determine precise geographic locations (Latitude/Longitude) and map boundaries or features like roads and waterways.
Surveying Equipment: Instruments used to measure distances, angles, and elevations to create accurate maps.
Computers and Software: Utilized for data analysis, mapping, and modeling.
Drones: Equipped with cameras to provide aerial photographs and videos for assessing topography, vegetation cover, and soil erosion.
Traditional Tools: Pens, pencils, paper, and rulers for sketches and manual plans.

Specific Instrument Functionalities

Level Line: Provides a horizontal line of sight.
Tape: Measures the length or distance between two points.
Peg: Used to permanently mark required points.
Clinometer: Measures angles of ground slopes ranging from flat to steep.
Ranging Pole: Used for measurement of lines with tape and marking points to be seen from a distance.
Compass: Used to show direction.
Stereoscope: Used to interpret aerial photographs.
Topo Map: A source to specify and identify the area of interest.

Survey Land and Related Information

Land information includes physical, legal, and economic characteristics gathered via field surveys, remote sensing, and data analysis.

Physical Features: Topography and soil types, which determine land suitability.
Land Use Patterns: Existing uses that inform high-priority areas for conservation or development.
Environmental Conditions: Water quality, air quality, and overall health and sustainability parameters.
Property Ownership and Boundaries: Essential for ensuring legal and transparent land use decision-making.
Demographic Data: Population density and income levels used to understand community priorities.
Legal/Regulatory Documents: Zoning ordinances and environmental regulations.
Land Resources: Climate, hydrology, geology, landforming, soils, vegetation (forest/pasture), fauna, pests, and diseases.
Base Map: A fundamental map providing the physical and environmental baseline of the study area.

Assessing Present and Future Needs

Resource Assessment: Evaluating current soil quality, topography, water availability, and vegetation to determine suitability for agriculture, forestry, or conservation.
Infrastructure Analysis: Reviewing existing transportation networks and proposed development projects to identify growth areas vs. protected areas.
Social and Economic Projections: Considering population growth, employment, housing affordability, and community services for long-term sustainability.

Methods for Data Collection and Analysis

Surveys: In-person or online data collection from residents and stakeholders.
GIS and Remote Sensing: Satellite imagery and aerial photography for large-scale land cover trends.
Focus Groups and Public Meetings: Gathering qualitative feedback and input on proposed plans.
Field Surveys: Physical site visits to collect data on soil, vegetation, and topography.
Records Review: Accessing historic maps, zoning ordinances, and environmental impact studies.
Expert Opinions: Consultations with geologists or engineers.

LO#2: Identify the Problems (LG #10)

Key Land Use Problems

Conflicts: Residential vs. Commercial, Industrial vs. Residential, Transportation vs. Environment, Agriculture vs. Urbanization, and Recreation vs. Conservation.
Inadequate Infrastructure: Limits access to services like water and communication, impacting development potential.
Lack of Open Space: Decreases livability and restricts access to recreation.
Environmental Degradation: Threatens natural resources and creates health/safety hazards.

Symptoms of Land-Use Problems

Migration to towns.
Low rural incomes and lack of employment opportunities.
Poor health, nutrition, and inadequate subsistence production.
Shortage of fuel, timber, and grazing land.
Low or unreliable crop yields and desertion of farmland.
Encroachment on forest and wildlife reserves.
Visible land degradation (e.g., eroded cropland, silted bottomlands, salinity in irrigation, flooding).

Underlying Causes of Problems

Social Problems: Population pressure, unequal land/capital distribution, and land tenure restrictions.
Natural Hazards: Inadequate water supply, irregular relief, drought-prone soils, poor drainage, and diseases.
Mismatch: Clearing forest on steep lands, inadequate water control, or improper soil conservation practices.
Planning/Rural Problems: Lack of power, fertilizer, pesticides, markets, finance, or technical support.

Problem Identification and Prioritization

Identification Procedures: Land inventory, stakeholder engagement, GIS mapping, environmental/risk assessments, market analysis, and demographic analysis.
Prioritization Basis: Nature and severity relative to land units, short-term vs. long-term effects, and physical/economic/social causes.
Negotiation Methods: Collaborative stakeholder processes, zoning laws, community meetings, and environmental assessments.

LO#3: Determine Alternative Solutions and Best Options (LG #11)

Challenge Solution Methods

Planners must consider socio-economic (demographics, income), environmental (natural resources), and cultural (traditional practices) data to identify appropriate solutions. Mechanisms include data analysis, stakeholder inclusion, and conflict resolution processes.

Options for Change

Zoning Changes: Designating specific areas for residential, commercial, or industrial use.
Land Acquisitions: Purchasing land for conservation or public recreation.
Overlay Districts: Additional regulations for specific environmental or historic goals.
Transfer of Development Rights (TDR): Selling rights from one area to another to preserve open space.
Urban Growth Boundaries: Lines limiting urban expansion to protect rural resources.
Amending vs. New Plans: Choosing between minor revisions or starting from scratch based on data shifts.

Management Options

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): Identifying and mitigating potential impacts of proposed projects.
Conservation and Restoration: Using easements, wetland mitigation banking, and reforestation.
Sustainable Practices: Green infrastructure and smart growth policies.

Methods of Administration Systems

Zoning: Dividing regions into districts with specific permitted uses.
Development Permits: Required prior to construction to ensure regulatory consistency.
Subdivision Regulations: Regulating the division of land into smaller parcels.
Comprehensive Planning: Integrating economic, social, and environmental factors.

Land Capability Classification (LCC) System

LCC groups soils based on their agricultural potential and degradation risks across eight classes.

The Eight Land Capability Classes

Class I: Few limitations; highly productive for crops and grazing.
Class II: Moderate limitations; high potential; needs basic conservation.
Class III: Moderate to severe limitations for crops; suitable for grazing.
Class IV: Severe limitations; requires special management; used for grazing.
Class V: Very severe limitations (often wet/stony); supports grazing or forestry but not cultivation.
Class VI: Severe limitations; limited grazing or forestry only.
Class VII: Unsuitable for cultivation; suitable for wildlife habitat or recreation.
Class VIII: Completely unsuitable for resource production; visual/recreational use only.

Limiting Factors and Classification Codes

Slope (L): * L1: Flat ( $0-2\%$ ) * L2: Gently sloping ( $2-8\%$ ) * L3: Sloping ( $8-15\%$ ) * L4: Moderately steep ( $15-30\%$ ) * L5: Steep ( $30-50\%$ ) * L6: Very steep ( $>50\%$ )
Soil Texture (T): Groups T1-T3 (Coarse), T4-T5 (Medium), T6-T7 (Fine).
Soil Depth (D): * D1: Very deep ( $>150\,cm$ ) * D2: Deep ( $100-150\,cm$ ) * D3: Moderately deep ( $50-100\,cm$ ) * D4: Shallow ( $25-50\,cm$ ) * D5: Very shallow ( $<25\,cm$ )
Soil Drainage: Categorized as Poor (mottles/waterlogging), Imperfect (black vertices/short waterlogging), or Well (red/brown, never waterlogged).
Waterlogging (W): W0 (None), W1 (Intermittent), W2 (Regular), W3 (Swampy).
Infiltration (I): I0 (Good/Porous), I1 (Moderate/Tends to seal), I2 (Poor/Impermeable crust).
Surface Stoniness/Rockiness (S): * S0: None/Few ( $<15\%$ ) * S1: Moderate ( $15-30\%$ ) * S2: Stony ( $30-50\%$ ) * S3: Very Stony ( $50-85\%$ ) * S4: Rock out crops ( $>85\%$ )

Sustainable Options in Land Use

Agroforestry: Integrating trees/shrubs into farming systems.
Smart Growth: Compact, walkable neighborhoods connected by public transit.
Conservation Easements: Legal agreements limiting development to preserve natural areas.
Urban Agriculture: Food production within urban areas (gardens, bees, fruit trees).
Land Trusts: Non-profit ownership to protect cultural or natural significance.

LO#4: Prepare and Implement the Plan (LG #12)

Developing the Strategic Plan

A Strategy defines "what" is to be done to achieve an objective involving goals of sustainability, efficiency, and equity.

Steps to Strategic Planning: Identify goals, conduct land use analysis, engage stakeholders, develop specific strategies (zoning/greenbelts), implement, and monitor/evaluate.
Core Concepts: Smart growth, traditional conservation, sustainable agriculture, urban forestry, and green infrastructure (rain gardens, bioswales).

Steps involved in Land Use Planning (Step 1 to 10)

Establish Goals: Assess situation (social/admin), contact stakeholders, agree on area and goals.
Organize Work: Define team responsibilities, timing, budget, and materials (GIS hardware/software).
Analyze Problems: Detailed surveys on soils and farming systems; formulate problem statements.
Identify Options: Describe improvements (irrigation, terraces) and seek stakeholder views.
Evaluate Land Capability: Delineate land mapping units and determine biophysical requirements.
Appraise Options: Assess environmental (erosion, runoff), financial, and social impacts.
Choose Best Options: Hold public discussions and align preferences with government objectives.
Prepare Land Use Plan: Allocate uses to units, prepare maps, and set source of funding/timetable.
Implement: Coordinate sectoral activities and ensure community participation.
Monitor and Revise: Organize regular reviews and modify based on implementation experience.

Ethiopian Legal Framework for Land Use

National Land Use Policy: Framework for sustainable and equitable land distribution.
Agricultural Development-led Industrialization (ADLI) Strategy: Promoting productivity and value-added processing.
Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Program: Focusing on soil/water conservation and reforestation.
Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) Strategy: Economic development via renewable energy and green infrastructure.
Rural Land Administration and Use Strategy: Improving governance and access in rural areas.
Environmental Impact Assessment Proclamation: Establishing the legal requirement for EIAs.
Land Use Planning and Administration Regulation: Providing detailed guidelines for government agency roles.

Map Development and Reading

Map Reading Components: Understanding the legend (symbols/colors), title, and North orientation.
Analyzing Patterns: Identifying distribution of land uses and environmental features.

Map Scale

Scale Calculation Formula: $S = \frac{MD}{GD}$ * Where $S$ = Scale, $MD$ = Map Distance, $GD$ = Ground Distance. * Example: For $20\,cm$ on a map representing $4\,km$ on the ground: * $1\,km = 100,000\,cm$ * $GD = 400,000\,cm$ * $S = \frac{20\,cm}{400,000\,cm} = \frac{1}{20,000}$ * Result: $1:20,000$
Scale Types: * Large-scale ( $1:1,000$ or $1:10,000$ ): Covers small areas with high detail; used for community design. * Medium-scale ( $1:50,000$ or $1:100,000$ ): Moderate area and detail. * Small-scale ( $1:500,000$ or $1:1,000,000$ ): Covers large areas with low detail; used for national planning.

GIS Map Preparation Steps

Collect Data: Satellite imagery, topographic maps, spatial data.
Identify Categories: Residential, Commercial, Agricultural, Forested, Water.
Digitize Features: Tracing boundaries and assigning feature classes.
Create Attribute Table: Adding data like acreage, owners, and establishment dates.
Assign Symbology: Applying colors/styles to differentiate categories.
Finalize Layout: Selecting projection and labels for presentation.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Review

Performance Indicators: Tracking land use types, population density, environmental impact, and income.
Regular Assessments: Periodic reviews to verify if the plan remains responsive to changing realities.
Stakeholder Feedback: Consulting community members and agencies on plan effectiveness.
Updating the Plan: Incorporating new data, demographic shifts, or changes in economic conditions.

Acknowledgments and Development Experts

The Teaching, Training and Learning Materials (TTLM) were developed by experts including:

Zeleke Dessie: MSc, Agroforestry (K/Oromia)
Ziyad Rube: MSc, Water Resource Engineering & Management (Gewane)
Famos Assefa: MSc, Forest Management & Climate Change (K/amhara)
Yetsedaw Muna: BSc, Land Administration & Surveying (Gewane)
Miressa Rebuma: BSc, Natural Resource Management (Bako)
Tamirat Tadesse: MSc, Forestry (Alage)
Kelifa Husen: BSc, Forestry (Agarfa)
Workneh Yigzaw: BSc, Water Resource & Irrigation Management (Agarfa)
Belay Beyene: BSc, Natural Resource Management (Holeta)
Getnet Mekonen: MSc, Watershed Management (W/ Sodo)
Lamesgen Binalf: MSc, Soil Science (M/Mariyam)
Emiru Ragea: MSc, Climate Change (Asosa)