LAND-USE PLANNING AND NATIONAL SOILS POLICIES

Land is used for many purposes. It is also the focus of conflict betwe en a wide range of land uses including agriculture, mining, forestry a nd nature protection, leisure, and urban and industrial development. C ompetition between users grows more under increasing population pressu re and in countries with a mixed economy. Decision making an land use options is therefore a current problem of modern societies. Adequate p lanning and decision making about land use is facilitated by a nationa l soils policy framework. This is a set of guidelines, aimed at ensuri ng a sustainable utilization of the land-either for agricultural or no n-agricultural uses-and limiting direct or indirect damage to the envi ronment. The policy is integrated into a national development plan, an d addresses the natural diversity and specific physical and socio-econ omic problems of the region concerned. National soils policies are the refore very country-specific, they rely on clearly defined long-term o bjectives and involve strategies and tools for implementation. A numbe r of examples are given to illustrate the most relevant issues in nati onal soils policies. Copyright (C) 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd