PROTOTYPE AGRICULTURAL LAND EVALUATION SYSTEMS FOR CANADA .2. SELECTED APPLICATIONS AND PROSPECTS

This paper describes the application of prototype Canadian land evaluation systems to selected issues. Two categories of applications are recognized. Routine evaluations employ standardized data sets and provide a backdrop for framing broader land-related concerns (e.g. assessments of land supply and suitability). Iterative analyses investigate implications of modified conditions (e.g. soil erosion, global climatic warming, altered food demands) on land use and production options, and require additional data and expertise. The paper demonstrates the capacity of land evaluation systems to address a wide range of issues, and illustrates the range of skills required to maintain and apply these systems.