Unplanned Land Research Articles

An analysis of the himalayan environment and guidelines for its management and ecologically sustainable development

The impacts of human activities on the bio-geophysical and socio-economic environment of the Himalayas are analysed. The main man-induced activities which have accelerated ecological degradation and threatened the equilibrium of Himalayan mountain ecosystems are stated as: unplanned land use, cultivation on steep slopes, overgrazing, major engineering activities, over-exploitation of village or community forests, lopping of broad leaved plant species, shifting cultivation (short cycle) in north-east India, tourism and recreation. Monoculture in forests, erosion and landslides have resulted in one–third of the total Himalayan land area becoming environmentally derelict. Cold desert conditions prevail in 41,500 km2 of north-west Himalayas and are encouraged by traditional pasturalism. The geo-morphological conditions are major factors responsible for landslides which cause major havoc every year in the area. Other physical problems exist, such as eutrophication, drying up of the natural springs, the recession of the glaciers and changes in surface and ground water hydrology. Wild fauna, like musk deer (Moschus mischiferus) and the snow leopard (Panthera uncia), are now under threat partially due to changes in their habitat and the introduction of exotic plant species. Population pressure and migration are major factors responsible for poverty in the hills. The emigration of the working male population has resulted in the involvement of women as a major work-force. This work includes trekking for hours to collect fodder, timber and drinking water in addition to household duties. Guidelines, with special emphasis on the application of environmental impact assessments for the management of the Himalayas, are proposed.

Environmental planning, administration and management in Nigerian Cities: The example of Benin City, Bendel State

AbstractThird World cities are characterized by weak administrative and managerial capacity for environmental planning. Benin City, Nigeria, is no exception. Benin's environmental problems result largely from its unplanned land use and weak development control. These problems include lack of open space, substandard housing and an increasing volume of refuse. The administrative arrangements to handle environmental problems include the Town Planning Division, which enforces building and housing codes and land use regulations; and the Task Force on Environmental Sanitation, responsible for solid waste management. However, these arrangements have not produced satisfactory results. Failure has been due partly to the ad hoc organization of environmental administration; the overlapping perception of environmental problems; the alienation of the public; dispersal of authority; and the scale of jurisdictional units. Effective environmental planning administration must adopt a holistic approach, which recognizes the need for a comprehensive environmental planning and a concentration of environmental authority. This is based on the premise that environmental issues are the responsibility of one agency but an obligation for all. Structurally, the concentration of environmental authority hinges on the principle of cooperative leadership by the Federal Government. This calls urgently for the establishment of a Federal Environmental Protection Agency at the centre, and Environmental Management Boards at state levels. The Boards would provide an administrative umbrella under which the management of various aspects of the environment are coordinated. In order to maximize the cooperation of the public, the traditional power structure of the Oba (paramount chiefs and community leaders) must be involved in the conception and implementation of environmental planning. Citizen participation would in turn be maximized if the neighbourhood is adopted as the jurisdictional unit, upon which environmental administration and management are systematically built.

Impacts of multiple forest land use on wildlife conservation in Bendel State, Nigeria

Wildlife conservation in Bendel State is faced with the problems of limited land area and unplanned land use practices. Forestry vigorously competes with alternative uses such as agriculture, mineral exploitation and urban development which lead to the destruction of natural vegetation. These activities have also encroached into game reserves, thus depleting the wildlife and their habitats. This paper identifies the major land uses competing with wildlife conservation in the reserves and formulates strategies for efficient management of wildlife. Data were derived from forestry records and a questionnaire survey involving 300 respondents living at the periphery of game reserves. The results of data analysis show that game reserves have been created in areas of intensive land use which hold little prospect for wildlife conservation. In Bendel State three wildlife species have become extinct and 18 are now endangered in the game reserves. The strategies available for wildlife conservation include land zonation to encourage compatible uses, a review of forest policy to emphasize wildlife conservation, enactment of strict conservation laws, and restriction of wildlife conservation to a few reserves to enhance management for tourism. However, its success in the state depends on the application of the rule of law and public awareness of the importance of wildlife conservation in a developing economy.

Segmentation analysis of property ownership types in rural areas

Summary Extensive unplanned residential land settlement often leads to numerous environmental, economic and social problems. Problems affect local planning efforts as well as firms involved in the land development business. Policy that is effective in alleviating problems recognizes that certain land settlement types are to a greater or lesser degree associated with a specific problem. Identification of characteristics related to those types using market segmentation analysis, is the aim of this study. Land settlement types were identified as permanent home ownership, seasonal home ownership and property ownership with no home development (recreational lot). Results indicate that there is a great deal of exploitable differences between segments with relevance to firms engaged in land development, as well as policy makers concerned with problems associated with unplanned settlement practices.

Transport in Metropolitan Lagos

Abstract With an estimated population of 4 million people occupying an area of 1640 sq km, Metropolitan Lagos is the fastest growing urban region in Nigeria. Lagos is still the dual capital city of both the Federal and Lagos State Governments of Nigeria; it contains over half of the nation's industrial, commercial and other economic activities. These create transport demands which seem to have exceeded what the available transport infrastructures and services can cope with. The rapid deterioration in the Government‐owned public transport system and the unorganized operation of numerous private minibuses, the dramatic increase in private car ownership associated with this and with the rapid economic growth after 1970, the inadequacy of road and parking spaces relative to this demand, coupled with unplanned growth and haphazard land use as well as ineffective traffic management and general urban planning, have all combined to compound the metropolitan transport problems. Recent policy initiatives have conce...