Land is a delineable [diˈlinieit] area of the earth's terrestrial [tiˈrestriəl] surface, encompassing all attributes of the biosphere immediately above or below this surface including those of the near-surface climate the soil and terrain forms, the surface hydrology (including shallow lakes, rivers, marshes, and swamps [swɔmp]), the near-surface sedimentary /ˌsedɪˈmentəri/ (沉淀性的) layers and associated groundwater reserve, the plant and animal populations, the human settlement pattern and physical results of past and present human activity (terracing, water storage or drainage structures, roads, buildings, etc. [etˈsetərə] (=et cetera)). (UN, 1994)

Land use is the human modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. The major effect of land use on land cover since 1750 has been deforestation of temperate regions. More recent significant effects of land use include urban sprawl, soil erosion, soil degradation, salinization [səlini'zeiʃən], and desertification. Land-use change, together with use of fossil fuels, are the major anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide, a dominant greenhouse gas. It has also been defined as "the total of arrangements, activities, and inputs that people undertake in a certain land cover type".

Land cover corresponds to a (bio) physical description of the earth's surface. It is that which overlays or currently covers the ground. This description enables various biophysical categories to be distinguished - basically, areas of vegetation (trees, bushes, fields and lawn), bare soil, hard surfaces (rocks, buildings) and wet areas and bodies of water (watercourses水流(河床), wetlands). There are two primary methods for capturing information on land cover: field survey and thorough analysis of remotely sensed imagery. The nature of land cover is discussed in Comber et al. (2005).

 

Land use corresponds to the socio-economic description (functional dimension) of areas: areas used for residential, industrial or commercial purposes, for farming or forestry, for recreational or conservation purposes, etc. Links with land cover are possible; it may be possible to infer land use from land cover and conversely. But situations are often complicated and the link is not so evident. Contrary to land cover, land use is difficult to 'observe'. For example, it is often difficult to decide if grasslands are used or not for agricultural purposes. Distinctions between land use and land cover and their definition have impacts on the development of classification systems, data collection and information systems in general. (UNEP)

Land cover is distinct from land use despite the two terms often being used interchangeably. Land use is a description of how people utilize the land and socio-economic activity - urban and agricultural land uses are two of the most commonly recognised high-level classes of use. At any one point or place, there may be multiple and alternate land uses, the specification of which may have a political dimension.

Land management can be defined as the process of managing the use and development (in both urban and suburban settings) of land resources in a sustainable way. Land resources are used for a variety of purposes which interact and may compete with one another; therefore, it is desirable to plan and manage all uses in an integrated manner.

 

The concepts of land administration are the reflection of views on land properties. In China, scholars hold ideas that land administration is the process of organization, coordination, supervision and management on land resources, land use, land property rights and land profit with political instruments for sake of whole society.

Other studies on land administration, cadastral [kə'dæstrəl] titles and land market, urban land administration, and land sustainable conservation, altogether make these factors-land resources management, land assets supervision and land political governance for sustainability constitute foundation of land administration.

 

There are many factors according to which administration can be distinguished from management. From the nature of work, administration is concerned about the determination of objectives and major policies of an organization; management puts into action the policies and plans laid down by the administration. From the nature of status, administration consists of owners who invest capital in and receive profits from an enterprise; management is a group of managerial personnel who use their specialized knowledge to fulfill the objectives of an enterprise. From Main functions, administration involves in planning and organizing functions; management involves in motivating and controlling functions.

 

Land use planning is the term used for a branch of public policy which encompasses [inˈkʌmpəs] various disciplines which seek to order and regulate the use of land in an efficient and ethical /ˈeθɪkəl/ way. Despite confusing nomenclature nəuˈmenklətʃə,术语，命名系统, the essential function of land use planning remains the same whatever term is applied. The Canadian Institute of Planners offers a definition that: "Land use planning means the scientific, aesthetic [i:sˈθetik], and orderly disposition of land, resources, facilities and services with a view to securing the physical, economic and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural communities"

 

There is bound to be conflict over land use. The demands for arable land, grazing, forestry, wildlife, tourism and urban development are greater than the land resources available. In the developing countries, these demands become more pressing every year. The population dependent on the land for food, fuel and employment will double within the next 25 to 50 years. Even where land is still plentiful, many people may have inadequate access to land or to the benefits from its use. In the face of scarcity, the degradation of farmland, forest or water resources may be clear for all to see but individual land users lack the incentive or resources to stop it.

 

Land-use planning is the systematic assessment of land and water potential, alternatives for land use and economic and social conditions in order to select and adopt the best land-use options. Its purpose is to select and put into practice those land uses that will best meet the needs of the people while safeguarding resources for the future. The driving force in planning is the need for change, the need for improved management or the need for a quite different pattern of land use dictated by changing circumstances.

 

All kinds of rural land use are involved: agriculture, pastoralism田园风味, forestry, wildlife conservation and tourism. Planning also provides guidance in cases of conflict between rural land use and urban or industrial expansion, by indicating which areas of land are most valuable under rural use.
Vocabulary

Ministry of Land and Resources                             国土资源部

Municipal Bureau of Land and Resources                市国土资源管理局

Municipal Bureau of Land Resources

 and Housing Management                                     市国土资源和房屋管理局

Bureau of State Land Supervision                           国家土地监察局

 

land utilization (use)                                           土地利用

extensive land use                                                 土地粗放利用

intensive land use                                                 土地集约利用

sustainable land use                                               土地可持续利用

 

land management                                                  土地技术管理

land administration                                                土地行政管理

land use planning                                                  土地利用规划

general plan of land-use                                         土地利用总体规划

land allocation                                                      土地配置

land evaluation/appraisal                                       土地评价

land policy                                                           土地政策

land economics                                                     土地经济

land market                                                          土地市场

land expropriation/requisition                                 土地征收/征用

land registration                                                    土地登记

 

land transaction                                                     土地交易

land banking                                                         土地储备

land supply/demand                                               土地供应/需求

land grant or transfer                                            土地出让或转让

land negotiation /agreement                                    土地协议

land auction                                                         土地拍卖

land public bidding                                               土地公开招标

land value                                                            土地价值

land rent                                                              地租

land revenue                                                         土地收益

land use fee                                                          土地使用费

land use term                                                       土地使用期

 

land levelling                                                       土地平整

land development                                                  土地开发

land rehabilitation/reclamation                                土地复垦

land consolidation/readjustment                              土地整理

land retirement                                                     土壤退化

land subsidence                                                    地面沉降

land pollution                                                       土地污染

slope treatment for erosion control                          坡面治理工程

grain to green                                                       退耕还林

 

land information                                                   土地信息

land use interpretation                                           土地利用判读

land use survey                                                     土地利用调查

land use monitoring                                              土地利用监测

land use map                                                        土地利用图

land use mapping                                                  土地利用制图

 

land use classification                                            土地利用分类

land use zoning                                                    土地用途分区

land use control                                                     土地用途管制

land use pattern                                                    土地利用模式

land use type                                                        土地利用类型

land use adjustment                                               土地利用调整

land use capability                                                 土地利用潜力

land potential productivity                                      土地生产潜力

land suitability                                                      土地适宜性

land efficiency                                                     土地效益

land structure                                                       土地结构

land use intensity                                                  土地利用密度

multiple crop index                                               复种指数

prime cropland preservation                                   基本农田保护区

planning approval                                                 规划许可

total dynamic balance of cropland                           耕地总量动态平衡

compensation institution of cropland occupation       占用耕地补偿制度

limitation of land use                                             土地利用限制因素

 

land reform                                                          土地改革

land use certificate                                                土地使用证

land tenure                                                           地权

land-ownership                                                     土地所有权

land-use right                                                        土地使用权

state-owned land                                                   国有土地

household-based land contract system                      土地家庭承包制