Importance of land use and information management

The way that land is used and managed has profound effects on social and ecological systems (Figure 1). There is a strong link between changes in land use and environmental, economic and social conditions. Land use and land management practices information can:

Figure 1: Key relationships in coupled human–environment systems

• support decision-making by governments, land managers and the agricultural sector
• be critical to developing effective responses to natural resource management priorities, including biodiversity protection, sustainable and productive agriculture, water quality and quantity, climate change adaptation, and food security.
• Prioritization – Describing what we use land for and how it is managed will improve the alignment of policy goals with environmental challenges.
• Investment – Information on the extent and effect of land uses and land management practices assists in determining which projects will most effectively deliver on the priorities.
• Performance reporting – Measuring changes in land use and land management practices that result from investments such as those under Caring for our Country to assess policy impact and progress towards goals.

Land use and management is the critical link between ecological systems, social systems and the sustainable use of natural resources. Effective natural resources management requires better understanding of the dynamics of land systems, the consequences of change and a capacity for integrated analysis and modeling.

Figure 2: The contribution of land use and management practices information to policy and program decision-making

Failure to maintain national capacity to monitor land use and land management practices in Australia will hinder our capacity to assess and respond effectively to Australia’s natural resource management challenges, including the emerging issues of climate change, climate change adaptation and water management. It will limit our ability to identify where the best returns on investment can be gained. Without land use and land management information we will not be able to demonstrate progress towards sustainability.