Contribution of Geopedology to Land Use Conflict Analysis and Land Use Planning in the Western Urban Fringe of Caracas, Venezuela

Abstract

In areas where land use and land cover dynamics generates current and potential land use conflicts, geopedologic information derived from soil survey, landscape inventory, and land evaluation, together with data about economic and social conditions, contributes to guide the land use planning process. Geopedologic information is important in the first steps of the process to identify land use options for agricultural, engineering and sanitary purposes, among others, while social, economic, administrative, and political criteria are decisive in the final steps to select land use alternatives satisfying the stakeholders. A framework for land use planning is presented, where land use conflict analysis represents an essential tool for decision making on land use allocation, taking into account the stakeholders interests. An urban fringe case study carried out in the western periphery of Caracas (Venezuela) is discussed to illustrate the significant contribution of geopedology to strengthen land use planning.