Land Resource Inventory for Evaluation of Land Capability and Land Use Planning in Palakkad District of Kerala State using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques

Abstract

Land resource inventory was carried out in Palakkad District using remote sensing, GIS and GPS technologies. IRS- ID, LISS-III Satellite imageries were used to delineate different soil units based on image characteristics and was correlated with the different landforms. A standard soil survey methodology was followed to prepare soil resources map of the area. The inherent soil properties as an internal attributes and topography, physiographic unit, slope and climate as an external land feature of each mapping unit were evaluated for their capability occuring. It was found that soils developed on valleys and pediplain covered an area of 45.7 per cent under agriculture and plantation crops and have been classified in Land capability class II and III. Soils of foothill slope and pediment constituting 5.7 per cent of the area were classified in class III and IV and covered by plantation and open scrub. Soils of hill side slope covered an area of 8.8 per cent and classified under class VI and VII with plantation and open scrub. Reserve Forest area which constitutes 29.1 percent was not grouped as per capability classification criteria. The study indicated that Physical, chemical and biological phenomenon occur in natural habitat and conservation processes play a decisive role and should be considered for designing proper Land use planning aimed at the effective utilization of land according to their classes.