GIS in Land use Management

Land use refers to the various ways in which land may be employed for human or other activities. Inventorying, classifying, and analyzing land resources and their use have always been important themes in applied geographical research, with significant implications for urban, rural, and regional planning activities. The use of geographic information systems (GIS) and related geospatial technologies in land use management is both well established and diverse, with widespread applications related to agriculture, forestry, wildlife, outdoor recreation, energy development, transportation, and urbanization. GIS applications in land use management vary in terms of function from inventory and mapping to suitability analysis and spatial decision support.