INTEGRATED RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND SUSTAINABLE LAND-USE

Decision makers and planners in resource sectors recognize, at least i n theory, the multiple uses of land, reflecting possible choices and o ptions for society, and the need to evaluate the economic, social, and environmental implications of these choices. As such, the need for in tegrated resource management is now widely accepted in resource planni ng. This article contributes to the understanding of sustainable resou rce development through a specific case study. An integrated analytica l system is developed and applied to the Peace River Region, British C olumbia, Canada, to examine the impacts of a wide range of land-use op tions and policies upon the achievement of multiple resource use goals . The results indicate that an integrated approach in land resource an alysis is not only possible but a necessary step in the move to develo p procedures for assisting public decision makers in integrating the d iverse functions of the land resource base and to revise demands or de velop alternative strategies in order to move society closer to sustai nable outcomes.