Frederick Steiner

Landscape planning: a working method applied to a case study of soil conservation

A working method for landscape planning is proposed. There are 11 steps in this method. In step one, an issue (or set of related issues) is identified as posing a problem or an opportunity to people and/or the environment. In step two, a goal (or several goals) is established to address the problem. In steps three and four, ecological inventories and analyses are conducted at two scales, first at the regional level (drainage basins are suggested as an appropriate unit) and then at the landscape level (watersheds are recommended). These inventories and analyses consider human ecology as well as bio-physical processes. Step five involves detailed studies, such as suitability analyses, that link inventory and analysis information to the problem(s) and goal(s). In step six, concepts are developed that lead to a landscape (watershed) master plan in step seven. During step eight, the plan is explained through a systematic educational effort to the affected public. In step nine, detailed designs are developed. In step 10 the plan and designs are implemented. Step 11 involves administering and monitoring the plan. The method is explained through an example of soil conservation planning. The case study was undertaken in the Missouri Flat Creek watershed of the Palouse region in the Pacific Northwest (U.S.A.) to help achieve the goals for erosion control established by the federal Food Security Act of 1985 and state clean water legislation.

A path for the Palouse: an example of conservation and recreation planning.

Abstract This is a case study about conservation and recreation planning for a portion of eastern Washington and northern Idaho (U.S.A.) known as the Palouse region. As a means to improve the conservation of farmlands, increase recreation and cultural reflection opportunities, encourage quality economic development and reduce traffic hazards, a multipurpose path is proposed. The path would physically link the small university cities of Pullman, Washington and Moscow, Idaho. Conservation is especially important in the Palouse because the region is both highly productive in agriculture and very susceptible to environmental degradation by soil erosion. The area has a unique landscape of unforested, rolling hills, primarily used for grain production. The location in question consists of approximately 8 miles of undualting terrain located mostly in Whitman County, Washington. The corridor between Pullman and Moscow is situated within the watershed of the South Fork of the Palouse River. The elements to be included in the path are based on the results of citizen involvement led by a non-profit, volunteer group called the Palouse Path Task Force. The task force was organized by the Pullman Civic Trust. Members of the task force worked with property owners and government officials to seek consensus on conservation and recreation issues related to the corridor between the two cities. Goal-setting was followed by identification of resources, discussion of major issues, development of a concept plan to explain the idea to local officials and implementation steps for future work. This paper summarizes these steps, gives results and provides insights on the importance of the approach taken to achieve action.

The evolution of federal agricultural land use policy in the United States

Abstract The United States government has a long history of involvement in the planning and management of rural land resources. During the American Civil War, the basic institutions concerned with agricultural land use were established. The conservation responsibilities of the agricultural establishment were greatly expanded during the New Deal. Broader resource concerns and new non-agricultural federal institutions were introduced during the 1970s. From 1981 to the present, there has been an attempt to withdraw federal involvement in traditional agricultural land use activities. Nevertheless, new conservation measures were adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1985 during the 50th anniversary year of the Soil Conservation Service. This paper provides a review of the evolution of activity in agricultural land use and soil conservation by the federal government of the United States.

The Food Security Act of 1985: Land use planning implications for the United States

Abstract The US Congress enacted an ambitious new effort for soil conservation in the Food Security Act of 1985. Among the conservation provisions in the Act, there is the requirement that landowners have a farm-level conservation plan on highly erodible land. These plans must be approved by local conservation districts, be adopted by 1990, and be fully implemented by 1995. Landowners who do not adopt such plans will lose federal agricultural programme benefits. Most US farmers participate in federal programmes and many rely on federal subsidies. Farm conservation plans have been used on a voluntary basis since the 1930s. The evolution of farm conservation plans is analysed and the conservation provisions of the Food Security Act are described. A prognosis about the potential for the conservation provisions to address soil erosion and sedimentation problems successfully is offered.

Planning new landscapes: A comparison of the Columbia basin project and the IJsselmeerpolders

Abstract The ecological and political contexts of the Columbia Basin in the United States and IJsselmeerpolders in The Netherlands are briefly described. Within these settings, two large-scale reclamation projects have been planned and developed. The planning processes employed in these projects are analyzed by comparing the general approaches with reclamation planning in the two nations, the ecological and political contexts, planning goals for the projects, project organizational structure, the extent to which a regional planning framework was used, the influence of environmental planning considerations, and the length of the planning process. Based on this analysis, concepts about landscape planning and landscape design in reclaimed areas are explored.