A GIS-Aided soil erosion potential-based solution to upland grant land allocation problem

Date

1998

Abstract

A landuse classification system based on soil erosion potential was developed for the UP Laguna-Quezon Land Grant. The basic procedures involved the integration of the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE) and Geographic Information System (GIS) to generate the soil erosion potential and evaluate the land capability of the area. The erosion-based capability was used as one of the criteria in the landuse classification in the project area. Results of the study revealed that with the present landuse system, the average soil loss from the area is 61 tons/ha/yr. or 6.1 mm/ha/yr. Fifty one percent of the total land area exhibits an acceptable level of soil erosion (2-12 tons/ha/yr), 17% with moderate (12- 25 tons/ha/yr.) to severe soil erosion (50-80 tons/ha/yr.) and 32% having low rate of soil loss of less than 2 tons/ha/yr. The land capability evaluation indicates that 58% of the area must be limited to forestry while 27 percent can be allowed for productive purposes such as agroforestry which could meet the allowable CP (cover management and conservation practice factor). Only about 17% of the area can be used for intensive such as lowland cultivation or housing.The proposed landuse classification for the UP Laguna-Quezon Land Grant consists of four major landuses : protection, production, social forestry and high intensive use zones. The protection zone covers an area of 3,171 ha or 46 percent of the entire area, 2,956 (43.7percent) for timber production, 526.6 ha (7.7%) for high intensive use zone and 110.6 ha (1.7%) or social forestry. Priority is given to protection landuse system because of high susceptibility of the area to soil erosion. The study shows that GIS, used in conjunction with the mathematical model, provides a remarkable information for the determination of soil erosion. Such a tool is useful for evaluating what landuse practices are suited for a given biophysical condition and provides, a number of options regarding landuse allocations that considers prevention of soil erosion, in particular and environmental protection, in general.

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree

Master of Science in Environmental Science

College

School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM)

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 995 1998 E8 D43

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