GIS Application in
Land Use Mapping
and
Implementation and Control of Land Use Planning
Table of Contents
PART I: BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1.Project Objectives
PART II: APPLICATION
1. Project Objectives
2. Institutional Context of the GIS
3. Project Setup
PART III: EVALUATION AND OUTLOOK
4. Concept
5. Methodology and Techniques: Land Use Mapping
6. Methodology and Techniques: Spatial Land Use Management Planning
7. Further Institutional Aspects
APPENDIX:
8. Concluding Evaluation and Outlook on Future Development
Map themes
Standard File Structure of Land Use Maps
Land Use Planning
There is bound to be conflict over land use in many countries.
Land resources are limited and finite. With high population numbers and/or high population increase in many Asian, African and Latin-American countries, there is a strong, urgent need to define land use plans to match the land resources with the land use in the best economical and sustainable way.
In Indonesia, where this GIS application has been originated, land use related problems are cited as one of the main problems of political and social consolidation.
With the support of Geographical Information Systems, the decision making on land use planning as well as on implementation and monitoring can be executed faster and more reliably - ‘better’, as more data can be processed in a faster way, and 'transparent', as data are processed in a defined procedure. On any level of decision, executives need instant access to reliable spatial data. This includes information of the current land use, and land use as it can - or must - be changed.
For the setup of a GIS, it is important to have a clear goal with objectives already defined beforehand, rather than having the idea of setting up a database and to see later, what to do with it.....
There must be a clear justification for a GIS!
At the initiation phase, this can not be defined, but the all over task has to be clear!
In the presented case, the aim was to support the Indonesian 'National Land Agency' with a fast, reliable and transparent system of data supply and interpretation for land allocation (concession, location permits), which are the local means for implementing and monitoring land use plans.
|
Land use planning is the process to assess the potential of land and to define alternatives, in order to select and adopt the best land use options, and to implement and monitor these new land uses. In Indonesia, this is handled by various Government institutions on national, provincial, and district levels.
Land use planning itself is not the subject of the GIS application described here. Other GIS activities and projects handle the definition of land use plans. The conceptual steps of improvements towards a land use system, where land is being used economically and sustainable are shown in Fig.1.
The ToR of this GIS was specifically the assessment of land use, with the implementation and monitoring of land use and land use planning.
Over-ambigous GIS approaches and objectives can easily fail, overloaded with tasks, they will never reach. |
To control the land use plan implementation, a monitoring of three aspects has to be undertaken:
In areas, where the land use plan foresees (recommends or allows) land use changes, to make use of the land in a more efficient and more sustainable way:
These areas have to be monitored, to see if the recommended or allowed land use change was implemented according to the land use plan and in accordance with the permission for land titles.
In areas, where the land use plan does not recommend nor allow any land use changes:
It is important to monitor these areas on a regular basis to see that no illegal land use change takes place, i.e. without permission.
In areas, where the land use plan enforces land use change, to keep the land sustainable, e.g. due to environmental impacts:
These changes have to be monitored for their implementation.
Modern planning methodologies require multi-sectoral analyses and these in turn require a broad and up-to-date database. ‘Improving the quality of the information supplied to planners, policy and decision makers will improve the quality of planning and implementation of development oriented activities’ (Ir. Soni Harsono, State Minister of Agrarian/BPN, 21/10/96).
There are many advantages of digital inventory and interpretation of land use data for land use planning: The system is fast, easy to modify, capable of running different scenarios and models, can store large amounts of data, flexible for individual, specific requests and retrieval, can be accessed in many places simultaneously, can be updated with new data types and data sources within very short time, etc.
GIS and other information systems have substantial advantages over the traditional manual approach, such as transparency of decisions, homogenous approach, speed, 'responsive reaction to dynamic situations', ability to simulate scenarios, capacity to handle large amounts of data. |
Potential disadvantages of a GIS-supported land use planning and monitoring tool are:
Dependence on information technology (which itself is not a disadvantage, but it requires technology skill).
Initially, requirement of training input, thus there can be a lack of trained manpower, and it needs a ‘user-front-end of software’: Therefore the system has to be set up in a user-friendly, easy-to-operate way.
Data entry and accuracy of data: Process of data entry has to be done as easily and as efficiently and with as little error as possible.
Costs of hardware and software required: Affordable systems and platforms have to be looked for, rather preferring PC than UNIX workstation, if possible.
Establishment of new procedures and methodologies: An integrated system has to be developed and tested, staff to be trained.
Conservative policies of some Government institutions: An 'educational' process is necessary, users have to be aware of the advantages, facilities and limitations.
Problems of data in different formats agency specific and under the aspect of data sharing: One system, one structure, one standard to be agreed on, which is ‘transparent’ and compatible with other agencies’ systems.
Like any other information system, GIS can have potential disadvantages. It is important to make users and clients aware of potential problems for two reasons: |
Fig.1: Concept of Land Use Planning and BPN’s Role
