DEFINITIONS OF
H. Gyde Lund (coordinator)
Forest Information Services
Email: gyde@comcast.net
Web site: http://home.comcast.net/~gyde/index.html
Last updated: 4 July 2009
Abstract: The Third Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) held 1-11 December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan
calls for, among other things, the reporting on emission sinks resulting
"from direct human-induced land use change and forestry activities,
limited to afforestation, reforestation and deforestation since 1990." The
FCCC Secretariat called for clarification of the use of these terms as they are
used in various parts of the world [see: http://www.unfccc.de, Official
Documents, Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA)
Document FCCC/SBSTA/1998/INF.1].
We initially
developed this paper at the request of Dr. H. Fred Kaiser, USDA Forest Service
in 1998. It has since been continuosly updated to since then. This paper lists various definitions that
have been used or are in use for deforestation, afforestation, and
reforestation. To have a clear understanding of these terms, we also need to
define tree, forest, degradation and other terms. The definitions we present
were derived from a search via the Internet, from individual input and from
Prüller (1996). We list the sources used and additional contacts at the end of
this paper. We also present a short discussion and comparison at the end of
each set of definitions. See also http://home.comcast.net/~gyde/pristine.htm,
http://home.comcast.net/~gyde/moredef.htm,
and http://home.comcast.net/~gyde/LFCreport.html.
Our thanks to all
those who responded to our emails and provided valuable input.
Keywords: Climate
change, forest, tree, afforestation, deforestation, reforestation, plantations.
Cite as: Lund, H.
Gyde (coord.) 2009. Definitions of Forest, Deforestation, Afforestation, and
Reforestation. [Online] Gainesville, VA: Forest Information Services.
Available from the World Wide Web: http://home.comcast.net/~gyde/DEFpaper.htm.
Misc. pagination.
Search for
definitions: forest,
tree, forest
summary, woodland, afforestation,
deforestation,reforestation,
other terms.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. BASIC TERMS
2.
1 LAND COVER
2.2
LAND USE
2.3 FOREST/FOREST
LAND
2.3.1 General
definitions
2.3.1.1
As a declared, legal, or administrative unit
2.3.1.2
As a land cover type
2.3.1.3
As a land use type
2.3.1.4 Ecological/Miscellaneous Definitions
2.3.2 International
definitions
2.3.2.1
As a declared, legal, or administrative unit
2.3.2.2
As a land cover type
2.3.2.3
As a land use type
2.3.2.4 Ecological/Miscellaneous Definitions
2.3.3 National
definitions
2.3.3.1
As a declared, legal, or administrative unit
2.3.3.2
As a land cover type
2.3.3.3
As a land use type
2.3.3.4 Ecological/Miscellaneous Definitions
2.3.4 State,
province and local definitions.
2.3.4.1
As a declared, legal, or administrative unit
2.3.4.2
As a land cover type
2.3.4.3
As a land use type
2.3.4.4 Ecological/Miscellaneous Definitions
2.3.5
Questions
2.4
TREE
2.4.1
Definitions
2.4.2 Summary
table
2.4.3
Questions
2.5 WOODS,
WOODLAND, OTHER WOODED LANDS (OWL)
2.6
NON-FOREST
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
STOCKING
2.12
FORESTRY
2.13
GROVE.
2.14
STAND
3. ACTION TERMS
3.1 AFFORESTATION
3.1.1
Legal Term
3.1.2
Land Cover
3.1.3
Land Cover and Use
3.1.4
Summary table
3.1.5
Questions
3.2 DEFORESTATION
3.2.1
As a change in legal status
3.2.2
As a change in land cover
3.2.3
As a change in land use
3.2.4As
a change in land cover and use
3.2.5
Other
3.2.6
Summary table
3.2.7
Questions
3.3
DEGRADATION (See http://home.comcast.net/~gyde/pristine.htm)
3.4
FORESTATION
3.5 REFORESTATION
3.5.1
Restoration of Land Cover
3.5.
2 Restoration of Land Cover and Use
3.5.3
Summary table
3.5.4
Questions
3.6
REGENERATION
3.6.1
By natural methods only
3.6.2
By any method
3.6.3
Questions
4. OTHER TERMS
5. DISCUSSION
5.1
Illustrations
5.2.
Basic Needs
5.3 Implications and Interpretations
5.3.1
From a Land Use Interpretation
5.3.2
From a Land Cover Interpretation
5.4
Summary table
5.5
Considerations
6. FINAL QUESTIONS AND
OBSERVATIONS
7. REFERENCES
1. INTRODUCTION
Our search focused
on the key terms - forest, afforestation, deforestation and reforestation.
However, we found that we need to discuss and have a common of understanding of
other terms as well. Groupings are based upon literal interpretations of the
definitions. The decision on which terms and definitions presented here must be
considered in light with the end point in mind. Most importantly, we need a
clear understanding of what it is that we are interested in and how we wish to
use the information. It may turn out that none of the terms listed below are
what is needed.
2. BASIC TERMS
Before we can get
into a discussion of Afforestation, Deforestation, and Afforestation, we need
to have an understanding of some basic terms and concepts. These include land -
(the terrestrial bio-productive system that comprises soil vegetation, other
biota, and the ecological and hydrological processes that operate within the
system (Convention to Combat Desertification)), land use, land cover, tree,
forest, natural forest, semi-natural forest, plantation, stocking and forestry.
Here are some of the definitions we found:
1.
Land - (European Environment Agency) Land - The terrestrial
bio-productive system that comprises soil vegetation, other biota, and the
ecological and hydrological processes that operate within the system. http://glossary.eea.europa.eu/EEAGlossary/L/land
2.
Land - (UN-FA0 2004) A
delineable area encompassing all attributes of the biosphere immediately above
or below the earth surface, including the soil, terrain, surface hydrology, the
near-surface climate, sediments and associated groundwater reserve, the
biological resource, as well as the human settlements pattern and
infrastructure resulting from human activity. Ponce Hernandez and Koohafkan (FAO, 2004) http://www.fao.org/nr/lada/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=15&Itemid=157
3.
Land - (UN-FAO 1995 and 1997) A delineable area of the earth’s terrestrial
surface, encompassing all attributes of the biosphere immediately above or
below this surface, including those of the near-surface climate, the soil and
terrain forms, the surface hydrology (including shallow lakes, rivers, marshes,
and swamps), the near-surface sedimentary layers and associated groundwater
reserve, the plant and animal populations, the human settlement pattern and
physical results of past and present human activity (terracing, water storage
or drainage structures, roads, buildings, etc.). (FAO 1995, 6). http://www.rri.wvu.edu/WebBook/Briassoulis/contents.htm
(W.
Sombroek, Land resources evaluation and the role of land-related indicators, FAO
Land and Water Bulletin 5, 1997) http://www.fao.org/nr/lada/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=15&Itemid=157
4.
Land - (USA-FED-U.S. Bureau of the Census) Dry land and land
temporarily or partly covered by water such as marshes, swamps, and river flood
plains (omitting tidal flats below mean high tide); streams, slough, estuaries,
and canals less than one eight of a statute mile wide; and lakes, reservoirs,
and ponds less than 40 acres in area. http://ifdc.nres.uiuc.edu/publications/pdf/forestresources02/pg81-86.pdf
5.
Land - A delineable area of the earth's terrestrial surface,
encompassing all attributes of the biosphere immediately above or below this
surface, including those of the near-surface climate, the soil and terrain
forms, the surface hydrology (including shallow lakes, rivers, marshes and swamps),
the near-surface sedimentary layers and associated groundwater reserve, the
plant and animal populations, the human settlement pattern and physical results
of past and present human activity (terracing, water storage or drainage
structures, roads, buildings, etc.). http://www.ecs.co.sz/seap/env_articles_policy_pliwgr_intro.htm
and www.pamagic.org/DataStds/Current/DataStandards_LandUse_05-22-02.pdf
6.
Land - An area of the earth's surface, the
characteristics of which embrace all reasonably stable, or predictably
cyclic, attributes of the biosphere vertically above and below this area,
including those of the atmosphere, the soil and underlying geology, the
hydrology, the plant and animal populations, and the results of past and
present human activity, to the extent that these attributes exert a
significant influence on present and future uses of the land by humans. www.itc.nl/~rossiter/teach/glossary.html
and http://www.css.cornell.edu/landeval/glossary.htm
7.
Land - The physical environment, including climate, relief, soils, hydrology
and vegetation, to the extent that these influence potential for land use. (Mücher
et al 1993).
8.
Land
classification is based on the
status of the land at the time of inventory, ignoring the possibilities for
production increasing measures. Expected changes in land use must also be
ignored unless they have already taken place http://www-markinfo.slu.se/eng/soildes/ago/agodef.html
9.
Land
conversion - A change in land use,
function, or purpose (Washington Department of Ecology, 1992). http://www.p2pays.org/ref%5C04%5C03686/ch4-8.html
10. Land cover or land use class - An abstract
representation of specific land cover or land use defined by classification
criteria. It is important to note that several land use classes may be
associated with a single land cover class. For example, a specific map unit
classified as forest may be associated with several land use classes, such as
wood production, watershed protection, tourism, etc. (Kalensky et al. 2002).
11. Land Cover/use (USA-FED-USDA and Census
Bureau). A term that includes categories of land cover and categories of land
use. Land cover is the vegetation or other kind of material that covers
the land surface. Land use is the purpose of human activity on the land;
it is usually, but not always, related to land cover. The NRI uses the term
"land cover/use" to identify the categories that account for all the
surface area in the
2.1 LAND COVER
1.
(
2.
(
3. (European Environment Agency) - Land cover corresponds to a (bio)physical description of the earth's surface. It is that which overlays or currently covers the ground. This description enables various biophysical categories to be distinguished - basically, areas of vegetation (trees, bushes, fields, lawns), bare soil, hard surfaces (rocks, buildings) and wet areas and bodies of water (watercourses, wetlands). http://glossary.eea.europa.eu/EEAGlossary/L/land_cover and http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/publi/landscape/gloss.htm
4.
(OECD) Land cover reflects the (bio) physical dimension of
the earth’s surface and corresponds in some regard to the notion of ecosystems.
Typical examples for land cover categories are built-up areas, grassland,
forests or rivers and lakes. http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=6489
5.
(UN-EP) The physical attributes of the land that can be seen
readily as opposed to the land use which describes a pattern of human
activities undertaken within a social and economic context. http://www.eapap.unep.org/lc/cd/html/training/module1.html
6.
(UN-EP/EAP.AP) Land cover can simply be defined as "the
physical attributes of the land that can be seen readily as opposed to the land
use which describes a pattern of human activities undertaken within a social
and economic context" http://www.rrcap.unep.org/lc/cd/html/training/module1.html
7.
(USA-FED-Climate Change Science Program) The vegetation and
artificial built-up materials covering the land surface. This includes areas of
vegetation (forests, shrublands, crops, deserts, lawns), bare soil, developed
surfaces (paved land, buildings), and wet areas and bodies of water
(watercourses, wetlands). http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/stratplan2003/final/annexd.htm#L
8.
(USA-FED-EPA)
The ecological status and physical structure of vegetation on the land surface.
What can be seen on the landscape - essentially the vegetation and other
physical characteristics. Land cover is often mapped using remotely sensed data
as cover types can be delineated based on appearance or their spectral
reflectance. 2006. http://www.epa.gov/urban/glossary.htm,
http://www.epa.gov/indicate/roe/html/roeAppDf.htm#f,
and http://www.epa.gov/indicators/roe/html/roeGlossL.htm.
9.
(USA-FED-NASA)-
The characteristics of a land surface as determined by its spectral signature
(the unique way in which a given type of land cover reflects and absorbs
light). http://eobglossary.gsfc.nasa.gov/Library/glossary.php3?mode=alpha&seg=l&segend=n
10. (USA-FED-USDA) The vegetation or other kind of
material that covers the land surface. ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/NCGC/products/nri/2004range/chapter6.pdf
11. (USA-FED-USDA-NRCS) The
vegetation or other kind of material that covers the land surface. http://199.156.157.191/nri/blcu.htm
and http://www.wv.nrcs.usda.gov/nri/blcu.htm
12. (USA-FED-USDI-USGS) The
habitat or vegetation type present, such as forest, agriculture, and grassland.
http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/noframe/lu106.htm
13. Broad land use classes interpreted from satellite
data. The land cover classes used in this report are dense forest, open forest,
scrub and nonforest. http://envfor.nic.in/nfc/s-git.pdf.
14. Land cover - The physical
coverage of land, usually expressed in terms of vegetation cover or lack of it.
Related to, but not synonymous with, land use. http://ma.caudillweb.com/proxy/Document.782.aspx
15. Land cover generally refers to actual ground cover,
eg, vegetation, crops, urban areas and open water. It also includes
associations of the Earth's surface and its cover, such as forests, which are
composites of various covers. The term reef zone is often used in reef mapping
in place of land cover. http://ceos.cnes.fr:8100/cdrom-00b/ceos1/science/glossary/glossl.htm
16. Land Cover is the type of material present on the
landscape. Materials such as water, different types of vegetation, soil, and
man-made materials like asphalt (Jensen 2005). http://www.utsa.edu/lrsg/teaching/es6973/project/jayar1.pdf.
17. Land cover
is the biophysical state of the earth’s surface and immediate subsurface"
(Turner et al. 1995, 20). In other words, land cover
"describes the physical state of the land surface: as in cropland,
mountains, or forests" (Meyer 1995, 25 cited in Moser 1996, 247). Meyer
and Turner (1994) add: "it embraces, for example, the quantity and type of
surface vegetation, water, and earth materials (Meyer and Turner 1994, 5).
Moser (1996) notes that: "The term originally referred to the type of
vegetation that covered the land surface, but has broadened subsequently to
include human structures, such as buildings or pavement, and other aspects of
the physical environment, such as soils, biodiversity, and surfaces and
groundwater" (Moser 1996, 247). http://www.rri.wvu.edu/WebBook/Briassoulis/contents.htm
18. Refers to the properties of a portion of the surface
of the earth. For example, we can describe an area as covered in grassland,
forests, or desert. http://www.cara.psu.edu/tools/glossary.asp
19. That which overlays or
currently covers the ground, especially vegetation, permanent snow and ice
fields, water bodies, or structures. Barren land is also considered a ‘land
cover’ although technically it is lack of cover. The term land cover can be
thought of as applying to the setting in which action (one or more different
land uses) takes place (USDA Forest Service 1989).
20. The actual distribution of
vegetation, water, desert, ice, and other physical features of the land,
including those created by human activities. http://ww2.iai.int/eblw1.htm
21. The biophysical state of
the earth’s surface and immediate subsurface http://www.idg.suny.edu/HO%20submit%20SensitiveSens%2012%2017Porro.htm.
22. The composition of the
features of the earth's surface. (Cihlar and Jansen 2001).
23. The ecological state and
physical appearance of the land surface (e.g., closed forests, open forests, or
grasslands) (Turner and Meyer 1994)
24. The natural landscape
recorded as surface components: forest, water, wetlands, urban, etc. Land cover
can be documented by analyzing spectral signatures of satellite and aerial
imagery. http://www.csc.noaa.gov/crs/lca/faq_data.html#LULC
25. The observed (bio) physical
cover on the earth's surface. Also aspects describing land itself rather than
land cover have been included (e.g. bare areas, waterbodies, etc.) because in
practice the scientific community is used to describe those aspects under the
term land cover (Di Gregorio and Jansen 1997, 1998, Jansen and Di Gregorio
1998, Choudhury and Jansen 1998.).
26. The observed (bio)physical cover on
the earth’s surface. In the strict
sense, land cover is confined to vegetation and man-made features; bare rock or
bare soils are describing land itself rather than land cover and it is also
disputable whether water surfaces can be considered real land cover. However,
in practice, the scientific community usually describes those aspects within
the term land cover. http://www.glcn-lccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2.
27. The observed physical and
biological cover of the Earth's land as vegetation or man-made features. http://www.ipcc.ch/pub/SPM_SRLULUCF.pdf
and http://www.bib.fsagx.ac.be/coste21/glossary.html
28. The physical coverage of land, usually expressed in
terms of vegetation cover or lack of it. Related to, but not synonymous with, land use. http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/jkl/land-cover.htm
29. The physical state of the land, including the
quantity and type of surface vegetation, water, and earth materials. http://www.aag.org/hdgc/www/intro/glossary/glossary.html.
30. The surface cover whether vegetation, water, bare soil, urban development or other. Identifying,
delineating and mapping land cover is important for global monitoring studies, resource management,
and planning activities. http://hosting.soonet.ca/eliris/remotesensing/bl130lec6.html
31. The type of surface layer
of the specific land area, including vegetation, barren land, open water bodies
and artificial surfaces, that can be observed in the field and recorded by
aerial or satellite remote sensing. (Kalensky et al. 2002)
32. The vegetation (natural or
planted) or man made constructions (buildings, etc.) which occur on the earth
surface. Water, ice, bare rock, sand and similar surfaces also count as land
cover. www.pamagic.org/DataStds/Current/DataStandards_LandUse_05-22-02.pdf
33. The vegetational and artificial constructions covering the land surface
(Burley, 1961). It thus includes cultural (buildings, artifacts, fields),
vegetational (grass, shrubs, trees) and other (water, burned objects and areas,
soil , lithology) features on the Earth's surface. (Mücher et al 1993)
34. The vegetative, natural or
artificial construction covering the land surface. http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/risc/pubs/landuse/corporatelanduse/corporatelanduse-03.htm#a
35. Usually used to denote the
nature of the Earth's surface in areas where the natural environment is
dominant. http://surf.tstc.edu/~rcozby/GPS/ap_terms.htm#L
36. Land-cover change - a change from one class of land cover
to another (conversion), such as from grassland to cropland, or a change
of condition within a land cover category (modification), such as the
thinning of a forest. http://www.aag.org/hdgc/www/intro/glossary/glossary.html
37. Land cover change (USA-FED-UDSI-USGS)
describes differences in the area occupied by cover types through time. http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/noframe/lu106.htm
38. Land cover classification - A process of
stratification and systematic grouping of land cover into multi-level, mutually
exclusive classes according to selected criteria. It is independent of map
scale, data source and geographic area. (Kalensky et al. 2002).
39. Land cover map legend - A subset of land cover classes compatible with the
map scale, map type (forest map, forest change map, agricultural land map, land
degradation map, etc.) and map accuracy requirements. Furthermore, the map
legend is specific to a geographic area of the map. (Kalensky et al. 2002).
2. 2 LAND USE
1.
(European
Environment Agency) - Land use corresponds to the socio-economic description
(functional dimension) of areas: areas used for residential, industrial or
commercial purposes, for farming or forestry, for recreational or conservation
purposes, etc. Links with land cover are possible; it may be possible to infer
land use from land cover and conversely. But situations are often complicated
and the link is not so evident. Contrary to land cover, land use is difficult
to 'observe'. For example, it is often difficult to decide if grasslands are
used or not for agricultural purposes. Distinctions between land use and land
cover and their definition have impacts on the development of classification
systems, data collection and information systems in general. http://glossary.eea.europa.eu/EEAGlossary/L/land_use
and http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/publi/landscape/gloss.htm
2.
(European
Environment Agency) The socio-economic description (functional dimension) of areas: areas
used for residential, industrial or commercial purposes, for farming or
forestry, for recreational or conservation purposes, etc. Links with land cover
are possible; it may be possible to infer land use from land cover and
conversely. But situations are often complicated and the link is not so
evident. Contrary to land cover, land use is difficult to "observe".
For example, it is often difficult to decide if grasslands are used or not for
agricultural purposes. Distinctions between land use and land cover and their definition
have impacts on the development of classification systems, data collection and
information systems in general. http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/publi/landscape/gloss.htm
3.
(European Union)
Corresponds to the socio-economic description (functional dimension) of areas:
areas used for residential, industrial or commercial purposes, for farming or
forestry, for recreational or conservation purposes, etc. Links with land cover
are possible; it may be possible to infer land use from land cover and
conversely. But situations are often complicated and the link is not so
evident. Contrary to land cover, land use is difficult to 'observe'. For
example, it is often difficult to decide if grasslands are used or not for
agricultural purposes. Distinctions between land use and land cover and their
definition have impacts on the development of classification systems, data
collection and information systems in general. http://epaedia.eea.europa.eu/glossary.php?letter=L&gid=92#viewterm
4.
(European Union)
For land use, various approaches are proposed into the literature. Two main
"schools" may be distinguished. Land use in terms of functional
dimension corresponds to the description of areas in terms of their
socio-economic purpose: areas used for residential, industrial or commercial
purposes, for farming or forestry, for recreational or conservation purposes,
etc. Links with land cover are possible; it may be possible to infer land use
from land cover and conversely. But situations are often complicated and the
link is not so evident. Another approach, termed sequential, has been
particularly developed for agricultural purposes. The definition is a series of
operations on land, carried out by humans, with the intention to obtain
products and/or benefits through using land resources. For example a sequence
of operations such as ploughing, seeding, weeding, fertilising and harvesting
(MÜCHER et al. 1993). Contrary to land cover, land use is difficult to
"observe". For example, it is often difficult to decide if grasslands
are used or not for agricultural purposes. The information coming from the
source of observation may not be sufficient and may require additional
information. In the case of agricultural use, farmers may bring information,
for example if cattle are present or not, if they are grazing. It is also
possible to use characteristics on the spot indicating the presence or absence
of cattle. For the FUNCTIONAL approach, inference from land cover may be
helpful. For the SEQUENTIAL approach, a more exhaustive recording of various
attributes will be needed, for example a multi-temporal approach. In the
following, land use will be understood as FUNCTIONAL. http://circa.europa.eu/irc/dsis/coded/info/data/coded/en/gl009961.htm
5.
(IPCC - 2003)
The total of arrangements, activities and inputs undertaken (a set of human
actions) in a certain land cover type. The term “land use” is also used in the
sense of the social and economic purposes for which land is managed (e.g.,
grazing, timber extraction, and conservation). (Source: Second Order Draft Glossary
IPCC WGI Fourth Assessment Rept. http://www.junkscience.com/draft_AR4/GLOSSARY_SOD_TSU_FINAL.pdf)
6.
(IPCC) The social and economic purposes for which land is
managed (e.g., grazing, timber extraction, conservation). http://www.bib.fsagx.ac.be/coste21/glossary.html
and http://www.ipcc.ch/pub/SPM_SRLULUCF.pdf
7.
(IPCC) The total of arrangements, activities, and inputs
undertaken in a certain land cover type (a set of human actions). http://www.bib.fsagx.ac.be/coste21/glossary.html
and http://www.ipcc.ch/pub/SPM_SRLULUCF.pdf
8.
(OECD) Land use
is based on the functional dimension of land for different human purposes or
economic activities. Typical categories for land use are dwellings, industrial
use, transport, recreational use or nature protection areas. http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=6493
9.
(UN-EP) - The
total of arrangements, activities and inputs undertaken in a certain land cover
type (a set of human actions). The social and economic purposes for which land
is managed (e.g., grazing, timber extraction, and conservation). http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/518.htm
10. (UN-FAO-2005) Land use: classification of land according to the activity
undertaken on the land (paragraphs 11.20–11.39). http://www.fao.org/es/ess/census/PROGwca2010/glossary_r7.pdf
11. (USA-DOT-FHWA) - Refers to the manner in which
portions of land or the structures on them are used, i.e. commercial,
residential, retail, industrial, etc. http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/glossary/glossary_listing.cfm?TitleStart=L
12. (USA-FED-Climate Change Science
Program) The total of arrangements, activities, and inputs undertaken in
a certain land cover type (a set of human actions). The social and economic
purposes for which land is managed (e.g., grazing, timber extraction, and
conservation). http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/stratplan2003/final/annexd.htm#L U
13. (USA-FED-EPA) Describes how a piece of land is managed or used by humans. The degree to which the land reflects human activities (e.g., residential and industrial development, roads, mining, timber harvesting, agriculture, grazing, etc.). http://www.epa.gov/indicate/roe/html/roeAppDf.htm#f and http://www.epa.gov/indicators/roe/html/roeGlossL.htm
14. (USA-FED-EPA) The degree to which the land reflects
human activities (e.g., residential and industrial development, roads, mining,
timber harvesting, agriculture, grazing, etc.). Land use describes how a piece
of land is managed or used by humans. Land use is generally locally regulated
in the U.S. based on zoning and other regulations. Land use mapping differs
from land cover mapping in that it is not always obvious what the land use is
from visual inspection. 2006. http://www.epa.gov/urban/glossary.htm
15. (USA-FED-USDA) The purpose of human activity on the
land; it is usually, but not always, related to land cover. The NRI uses the
term "land cover/use" to identify the categories that account for all
the surface area in the
16. (USA-FED-USDI-NRCS) The
purpose of human activity on the land; it is usually, but not always, related
to land cover. http://199.156.157.191/nri/blcu.htm
and http://www.wv.nrcs.usda.gov/nri/blcu.htm
17. A particular manner of
using land, such as for residences or recreation. http://ohia.com/ohia/roadshows/sky/glossary.htm
18. A series of operations on
land, carried out by humans, with the intention to obtain products and/or
benefits through using land resources. www.pamagic.org/DataStds/Current/DataStandards_LandUse_05-22-02.pdf
and (de Bie 2000).
19. A term used to describe the
various ways in which human beings make use of the land and its resources,
including farming, mining, building, or grazing sheep and cattle. http://www.enviroliteracy.org/landuse.html
20. Current or intended
statutory use or tenure of land. http://www.glenelg-hopkins.vic.gov.au/catchmentprofile/glossary.asp
21. How land is used. It might be
for:· buildings, such as a housing estate, · industrial purposes, such as
factories,· leisure, such as a sports centre,· agriculture, such as an orchard http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/eco-exp/glossary.html#land
22. How people use the Earth's surface (e.g., urban,
rural, agricultural, range, forest); often subdivided into specific uses (e.g.,
retail, low-density housing, industrial). http://www.nmlites.org/standards/socialstudies/glossary.html
23. Human activities which are
directly related to land, making use of its resources or having an impact upon
it. http://www.wocat.org/ftp/ISCOmap.pdf
24. Involves both the manner in
which the biophysical attributes of the land are manipulated and the intent
underlying that manipulation”. http://www.idg.suny.edu/HO%20submit%20SensitiveSens%2012%2017Porro.htm
25. Land "use" is defined in terms of a
specific combination of land activity and land cover. http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/risc/pubs/landuse/corporatelanduse/corporatelanduse-03.htm#a
26. Land use
involves both the manner in which the biophysical attributes of the land are
manipulated and the intent underlying that manipulation – the purpose for which
the land is used" (Turner et al. 1995, 20). In a similar vein,
Meyer (1995) states that "land use is the way in which, and the
purpose for which, human beings employ the land and its resources (Meyer 1995,
25 cited in Moser 1996, 247). Briefly, land use "denotes the human
employment of land" (Turner and Meyer 1994, 5). Skole (1994) expands
further and states that "Land use itself is the human employment of
a land-cover type, the means by which human activity appropriates the results
of net primary production (NPP) as determined by a complex of socio-economic
factors" (Skole 1994, 438). Finally, FAO (1995) states that "land
use concerns the function or purpose for which the land is used by the
local human population and can be defined as the human activities which are
directly related to land, making use of its resources or having an impact on
them" (FAO 1995, 21).
http://www.rri.wvu.edu/WebBook/Briassoulis/contents.htm
27. Land use is characterized by the
arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover
type to produce, change or maintain it. The definition of land use
establishes a direct link between land cover and the actions of people in their
environment. http://www.glcn-lccs.org/index.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=2
28. Land Use refers to what people do on the
land surface, such as agriculture, commercial and residential development, and
transportation (Jensen 2005). http://www.utsa.edu/lrsg/teaching/es6973/project/jayar1.pdf.
29. Man's activities on land of
which settlements, forestry, agriculture, mining, grazing and water use are the
most predominant http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ru12/DEFINE/DEF-ENV.HTM
30. Man's activities on land
which are directly related to land. (Anderson et al. 1976).
31. Refers to how land is utilized by humans, as in
agricultural land use, urban development, or mining. http://www.cara.psu.edu/tools/glossary.asp
32. Refers to the manner in which portions of land or the
structures on them are used, e.g., commercial, residential, retail, industrial,
etc. http://www.raqc.org/more/define.htm#L
33. Specific use or
management-related activity, rather than the vegetation or cover of the land.
The categories of and use are cropland, developed water resource, fish and
wildlife habitat, forestry, industrial/commercial, pastureland (or land
occasionally cut for hay), recreation, residential, and undeveloped land. http://dnr.state.il.us/mines/lrd/guides/farm6.htm
34. The activity land is used for. http://cfpm.org/caves/CAVESWiki/Glossary
35. The arrangements,
activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover type to produce,
change or maintain it (Di Gregorio and Jansen 1997, 1998, Jansen and Di
Gregorio 1998). A given land use may take place on one, or more than one, piece
of land and several land uses may occur on the same piece of land. Definition
of land use in this way provides a basis for precise and quantitative economic
and environmental impact analysis and permits precise distinctions between land
uses, if required. Lands may be devoid of forest cover, but may be used for
forestry purposes. Similarly, lands may have tree cover, but not used for
forestry use – i.e. "urban forests."
36. The current use of an area of land. This term is
different to, but often confused with, land cover. http://ceos.cnes.fr:8100/cdrom-00b/ceos1/science/glossary/glossl.htm
37. The description of human
enterprises on the land and water, and may have the following components:
activities (the actual use of land and related structures and modifications to
the landscape); use-related land cover (where cover implies a use or is
important to interpreting patterns or impacts of use); declared interests in
the land (where use decisions may be affected by such interests); legal
entities (legal boundaries, tenures, and regulations that affect use). http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/risc/pubs/landuse/corporatelanduse/corporatelanduse-03.htm#a
38. The description of the
human cultural activities on the land and water. http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/risc/pubs/landuse/corporatelanduse/corporatelanduse-03.htm#a
39. The direct interaction/manipulation with/of the (agro-) ecosystem by man
(Mücher et al 1993)
40. The documentation of human
uses of the landscape: residential, commercial, agricultural, etc. Land use can
be inferred but not explicitly derived from satellite and aerial imagery. There
is no spectral basis for land use determination in satellite imagery. http://www.csc.noaa.gov/crs/lca/faq_data.html#LULC
41. The employment of a site or
holding so as to derive revenue or other benefits from it; the delineation by a
governing authority of the utilization of the land within a particular
jurisdiction so as to promote the most advantageous development of the
community such as industrial, residential, commercial, recreational and other
uses under a plan. (HUDCC) http://www.nscb.gov.ph/peenra/Publications/Compendium/glossary.PDF
42. The function for which the
land is rendered in the attempt to satisfy some human wants. http://anmf.web1000.com/BIBLIOGRAPHY%20ON%20AFRICA%20MOUNTAINS.html
43. The human activity that is
associated with a specific land unit, in terms of utilization, impacts or
management practices (Thompson 1996).
44. The human employment of land; includes settlements,
cultivation, pasture, rangeland, and recreation, among others. http://www.aag.org/hdgc/www/intro/glossary/glossary.html
45. The human employment of the
land (Meyer and Turner 1992).
46. The human use of a piece of land for a certain
purpose (such as irrigated agriculture or recreation). Influenced by, but not
synonymous with, land
cover. http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/jkl/land-use.htm
47. The human use of a piece of
land for a certain purpose (such as irrigated agriculture or recreation).
Influenced by, but not synonymous with, land cover. http://ma.caudillweb.com/proxy/Document.782.aspx
48. The intent and management
strategy placed on a land cover type (Turner, et al. 1995).
49. The nature of the Earth's
surface in areas where the human imprint upon land is dominant. http://surf.tstc.edu/~rcozby/GPS/ap_terms.htm#L
50. The predominant purpose for
which an area is employed (USDA Forest Service 1989).
51. The purpose for which a
specific land area is used by people; the socio-economic function of such an
area. (Kalnensky et al. 2002).
52. The purpose the land serves,
for example, recreation,
wildlife habitat, or agriculture, urban development, and mostly areas impacted by human
activity. Knowledge of land use helps us to develop strategies to balance conservation, conflicting uses, and developmental pressures. Some of the
issues which are of concern include the removal or disturbance of productive land,
urban encroachment, and depletion of forests. http://hosting.soonet.ca/eliris/remotesensing/bl130lec6.html
53. The purpose to which land
is put by humans (e.g., protected areas, forestry for timber products,
plantations, row-crop agriculture, pastures, or human settlements) (Turner and
Meyer 1994). Change in land use may or may not cause a significant change in
land cover. For example, change from selectively harvested forest to protected
forest will not cause much discernible cover change in the short term, but
change to cultivated land will cause a large change in cover.
54. The type of human activity
taking place at or near the earth's surface. (Cihlar and Jansen 2001).
55. The way in which land is used, especially in farming
and city planning. http://en.mimi.hu/environment/land_use.html
56. The way in which, and the
purposes for which, humans employ the land and its resources (Meyer 1995).
57. The way land is developed and used in terms of the
kinds of activities allowed (agriculture, residences, industries, etc.) and the
size of buildings and structures permitted. http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/sfep/reports/soe/soegloss.htm
58. The way land is developed and used in terms of the
kinds of anthropogenic activities that occur (e.g., agriculture, residential
areas, industrial areas). http://www.planning.arizona.edu/projects/proj_azcity_glossary.doc
59. Land-use change - (UN-EP) - A change in the use or management of land by humans,
which may lead to a change in land cover. Land cover and land-use change may
have an impact on the 
albedo, evapotrans-piration,
sources and
sinks of greenhouse
gases, or other properties of the climate
system and may thus have an impact on climate, locally or globally. See also:
the IPCC Report on Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry (IPCC, 2000). http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/518.htm
60. Land-use change - (USA-FED-Climate Change Science Program) - A
change in the use or management of land by humans, which may lead to a change
in land cover. Land cover and land-use change may have an impact on the albedo,
evapotranspiration, sources,
and
sinks of greenhouse gases, or other properties of the climate
system, and may thus have an impact on climate,
locally or globally. http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/stratplan2003/final/annexd.htm#L
61. Land-use change - shift to a different land use
or an intensification of an existing one. http://www.aag.org/hdgc/www/intro/glossary/glossary.html
2.3 FOREST/FOREST LAND
-
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin forestis
(silva), outside (forest), from Latin for 
s,
outside. http://www.bartleby.com/61/69/F0256900.html.
In several European languages, the root for(s) today still means outsider
-(e.g. foreigner). http://www.europarl.eu.int/workingpapers/forest/eurfo124_en.htm.
The word “forest” in Medieval England came to mean land outside cultivation and
belonging by default to the Crown. There is no direct reference to trees or
woodland. http://www.ashdownforest.org/html/conservation.html.
The term "forest" was a legal and did not mean that the whole
area was wooded. http://www.wychwoodproject.org/templates/history.htm
“The word foresta appears for the first time in the laws of the
Longobards and the capitularies of Charlemagne, referring not to woodlands in
general but only to the royal game preserves. The obscure Latin verb forestare
meant 'to keep out, to place off limits, to exclude.' In effect, during the
Merovingian period in which the word foresta entered the lexicon, kings
had taken it upon themselves to place public bans on vast tracts of woodlands
in order to insure the survival of their wildlife, which in turn would insure
the survival of a fundamental royal ritual--the hunt.
Manwood in Lawes of the Forest (1598) describes a
forest as “a certain territory of woody grounds, fruitful pastures, privileged
for wild beasts and fowls of forest, chase and warren, to rest and abide in the
safe protection of the king, for his princely delight and pleasures.”
(Encyclopedia Britannia 1910. p. 645. http://books.google.com/books?id=jhZsJc4z5RkC&pg=PA657&lpg=PA657&dq=hawaii+forestland&source=web&ots=YlCTj-qUZR&sig=PtkyXu4oaaWBg-3k45z2nub3mDs#PPA645,M1
) A 'forest,'
then, was originally a juridical term referring to land that had been placed
off limits by a royal decree. Once a region had been 'afforested,' or declared
a forest, it could not be cultivated, exploited, or encroached upon. It lay
outside the public domain, reserved for the king's pleasure and recreation. In
England it also lay outside the common juridical sphere. Offenders were not
punishable by the common law but rather by a set of very specific 'forest
laws.' The royal forests lay 'outside' in another sense as well, for the space
enclosed by the walls of a royal garden was sometimes called silva, or
wood. Forestis silva meant the unenclosed woods 'outside' the
walls."” http://www.ecobooks.com/forests.htm
Table 1 lists terms for
forest, forestland and tree in a multitude of languages from around the world.
|
Table 1 " |
|||
|
Language |
|
|
Tree |
|
Africkkaans |
Bos |
|
Boom |
|
Albanian |
Dru; pyll |
|
Dru; pemë |
|
Aotearoa NZ |
bush |
|
|
|
Arabic |
Ghabah; غابة |
ard ghabawyah; milk ghabawee |
Shajarah; شجرة |
|
Aragones |
|
|
árbol; abre |
|
Armenian |
antar |
Antarayin khogher |
tsar |
|
Aymara |
|
|
khokga |
|
Azeri |
|
|
ağac |
|
Bahasa |
hutan |
|
pokok |
|
Basque |
baso |
|
zuhaitz |
|
Belarusan |
les |
|
dreva |
|
Bemba |
seebeebe |
|
alula†nkula |
|
Bengali |
jungle |
jungle bhoomi |
gachh |
|
Berber |
'ari |
|
|
|
Brazilian Portuguese |
mata, floresta |
|
árvore |
|
Breton |
koad; koadeg, |
|
gwezenn |
|
Bulgarian |
Gora; Гора |
ãîðà çåìÿ |
Dyrvo; дърво |
|
Byelorussian |
|
|
дрэва |
|
Calabrese |
|
|
arburu ; arberu ; arvulu |
|
Caló |
|
|
arberuqué; erulé; caté; eruqué |
|
Catalan |
Floresta, fusta |
|
arbre |
|
Cebuano |
kakahoyan; kalasangan |
|
kahoy |
|
Chechen |
hwu |
|
ditt |
|
Cheyenne |
|
|
hoohtsêstse |
|
Chinese |
lin; lam |
|
bo; bi; baak |
|
Chorti |
tah |
|
te |
|
Corsican |
|
|
àrburu; èrburu; àlberu; àrboru |
|
Croatian |
šuma |
šuma prizemljiti |
Stablo; drvo |
|
Czech |
les |
zalesnìná pùda |
Strom; døevo |
|
Danish |
skov |
skov lande |
træ |
|
Drow |
|
|
lorug |
|
Dutch |
bos |
bosland |
boom |
|
Elvish |
taure |
|
alda |
|
Emiliano-Romagnolo |
|
|
elber |
|
Esperanto |
arbaro |
|
Arba; arbo |
|
Estonian |
mets |
metsamaa |
puud |
|
Farsi |
|
|
derakht |
|
Faroese |
skógur |
|
træ |
|
Fijian |
Vei kau |
|
kau |
Filipino
|
kakahuyan; gubat |
|
punungkahoy; puno |
|
Finnish |
metsä |
metsä |
puu |
|
Flemish |
bos |
|
boom |
|
French |
Forêt; bois; foret |
terre forêt; terre boisée |
arbre |
|
Frisian |
bosk; wâld |
|
beam |
|
Galician |
foresta; bosque |
|
árbore |
|
Gerogian |
ტყე |
|
ხე |
|
German |
Forst; Wald |
forstbetriebsfläche |
baum |
|
Greek |
Hulê; δάσος |
äüóïs ãç |
Dendro; δενδρο |
|
Guarani |
ka'aguy |
|
îvirá; îvirá racä ; yvyra |
|
Hawaiian |
ulu la'au; nahele |
|
la'au; kumula'au; kumu |
|
Hebrew |
øòé |
|
äøå÷; çéù- õò |
|
Hindi |
jañgal; vun |
vun-bhoomi |
pér; paed |
|
Homng |
hav zoov |
|
ntoo |
|
Hungarian |
erdõ |
erdögazdasági terület |
fa |
|
Icelandic |
Skógur; skógar |
skógur land |
tré |
|
Ilongo |
kagulangan |
|
kahoy |
|
Indonesian |
hutan |
|
Pohon; pokok |
|
Interlingua |
foreste- silva |
|
arbore |
|
Irish |
fhoraoise |
|
crann |
|
Italian |
bosco; foresta |
area
forestale; compresorio forestale; terreno forestale |
albero; pianta |
|
Japanese |
shinrin |
shinrin iki |
jumoku |
|
Japanese Romaji |
rin'yacho_ |
|
Ki, mokuhon |
|
Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay |
|
|
thulu |
|
Kannada |
kadu |
aranya |
gida |
|
Kapampangan |
caquewan |
|
tanaman |
|
Katcha |
tile |
|
fa |
|
Khowar |
|
|
kam |
|
Kurdish |
bESeLan |
|
dar |
|
Latin |
lustrum; silva; nemus; lucus |
|
arboreus; arbor |
|
Latvian |
mežs |
|
koks |
|
Lithuanian |
mižkas |
|
medis |