Recent discussions with an experienced engineer reinforced my belief that land management on a national level requires multi-disciplinary teams. It was agreed that engineers will often “see” engineering solutions to land management issues. Civil Engineers, for example, concerned with infrastructure protection (by dint of their training, exposure and areas of interest) would most likely decide on retaining walls or gabion baskets. Several professions view land as “something to be stabilized, graded or drained”. Those in professions where land is seen as soil often have different views; in that it is viewed in terms of its fertility, possible protection and improvement as a precursor to irreversibly covering it with concrete.
The so-called soft engineering solutions for “soil stabilization” such as grassing with Vetiver spp. are often not considered when land is seen as a “base for building.” Soil is an entity with inherent capacity to provide solutions and products, or regulate natural cycles including the water cycle. In our discussions on land use policies we must constantly interject that soil use is equally important. Land use policies require multi-disciplinary teams to add to the range of tools brought to the task.
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