In this paper we present the generic modelling system SITE (SImulation of Terrestrial Environments), a software package to develop and apply models simulating regional land-use dynamics. The modelling system includes (i) a framework managing the model generics and (ii) code templates for the development of rule-based land-use and land-cover change (LUCC) models. SITE comprises built-in methods for e.g. map comparison, model optimization and environmental scenarios.

Internal territorialisation or the formalisation of forest rights has led to increased state ownership in many countries, often ignoring traditional or customary tenure and land use. Because of its roots in a formal government process, the disjuncture between formal rights and local practices may be seen as unproblematic to policymakers, even though it harms the livelihoods of marginalised forest dwellers.

Accurate and timely information about the geographic distribution of irrigated cropland is important for a range of applications including crop assessments, water resources management, drought monitoring, and environmental modeling.

The breakdown of socialism caused massive socio-economic and institutional changes that led to substantial agricultural land abandonment. The goal of our study was to identify the determinants of agricultural land abandonment in post-Soviet Russia during the first decade of transition from a state-controlled economy to a market-driven economy (1990–2000). We analyzed the determinants of agricultural land abandonment for approximately 150,550km² of land area in the provinces (oblasts) of Kaluga, Rjazan, Smolensk, Tula and Vladimir in European Russia.

This study used linear programming (LP) to analyse land-use alternatives in the traditional Umbundu farming system in the Angolan central highlands. Farmers of the region have traditionally produced maize and pulses for subsistence and vegetables and timber as cash crops. Different pasture and forest fallow rotations are used along catena production sites. The system is labour-intensive and uses animal traction. LP problems were formulated and solved for a baseline land-use alternative, improved diet alternative and maximal timber production alternative.

Land areas in collective ownership or use are traditionally referred to as commons. Through history, the common use and ownership has been a widespread means of regulating the use of natural resources. Changing economic conditions and technology spawned a process however where land use rights and landowner rights aggregated into the modern form of private ownership of individual farms with full management and owner rights. This process had obvious rationales in terms of production of marketable agricultural products.

This paper examines environmental disturbances related to energy development in the Orenburg region through a two-pronged approach. First, it ranks environmental performance per 25 administrative districts based on multidimensional clustering of 10 diagnostic indicators. Second, it examines land-use and land-cover (LULC) patterns in nine western administrative districts by classifying Landsat imagery and quantifying surface disturbance for the year 2001. Spatial analysis and descriptive statistics help identify the most disturbed administrative units.

We estimate a system of equation model to understand the factors that influence the loss of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses in the Southeast United States. This is done by analyzing the complex relationship between population, employment, and agricultural land density for the 1990–-2000 period. From the results, it can be noted that growth in employment over time and the expansion of residential housing have to be compromised with the agricultural sector on the use and allocation of land.
Revised version of paper added to AgEcon Search 10/06/05.

Impact assessment of watershed development activity assumes greater importance in present day agriculture. Considering the ability of remote sensing technology in watershed monitoring and impact assessment, a study was carried out to investigate the Impact Assessment of Karnataka Watershed Development Project (DANIDA) in Koralahallihalla Sub watershed in Sindagi taluk of Bijapur district in Northern Karnataka using satellite data of two periods i.e., IRS 1 C, LISS-III data of 30 December, 1997 (pre-treatment) and IRS P6, LISS-III data of 17 December, 2004 (post-treatment).