Land conservation in small developing countries: computer assisted studies in Saint Lucia [Geographic Information System, GIS]

A Geographic Information System (GIS) was constructed for the island of Saint Lucia to study the relationship between land use, land capability, and human settlements. An overlay of land use with land capability shows the extent to which rural development is sustainable over the long term. For Saint Lucia, only 13 percent of the land devoted to farming occurs on good quality land where long-term farming can be sustainable. The shortage of good quality land forces farmers to develop plots with poor soil quality on steep slopes. This practice increases the risks of erosion, threatening the good agricultural land located downstream. Unfortunately, the data reveal that all of the land currently being farmed is sufficient to support only 40 percent of the rural population. Until Saint Lucia's urban-based economy grows significantly, overexploitation of poor quality hill-side land can be expected to continue. The GIS has provided detailed information on specific locations and quantification of critical trouble spots. It may also help local planners assign priority to future land-conservation efforts.