Criteria in Land Use Planning

Abstract

The ecological approach to land-use planning is no longer a novelty that requires justification. Most developing countries, including Kenya, now employ or otherwise secure the services of ecologists for land-use surveys, and the present tendency, if any, thing, is to over emphasize the role of the ecologist and of the ecological survey. It is sometimes forgotten that rational land-use planning involves, several stages, of which the ecological survey is only one, and, that real difficulties are created by the ecologist who, specific to his profession, offers advice which does not take into consideration all of the associated factors and which, as a result. is almost impossible to implement. This difficulty is accentuated by the fact that the recommendations usually emanate from overseas experts who have relatively little understanding of local conditions, while implementation rests with local personnel who have relatively little technical knowledge.