Land management is the act of managing the utilization and development of land assets. Land assets are those items of property that lie beneath the surface of the earth such as forests, cropland, desert land, mining deposits, etc. These land assets are utilized for various purposes that can include agricultural production, hydropower generation, etc. In addition, land can also be developed into housing developments and infrastructure projects. There are many agencies that are entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of the land assets of the country.
The main objectives of land management are to ensure the protection of the environment, quality of life and sustainable development of the land. There are various types of land management indicators that are designed to determine and improve the ecological condition and the quality of life in the country. These include the key performance indicators (KPIs), environmental indicators, social economic indicators, land degradation indicators, natural environment indicators, and management indicators. These indicators are designed to monitor the current land management practices, identify gaps that need to be filled in order to bring about positive changes, and gauge and improve current land management practices. These indicators are applied on a national level and they serve as a guide to improve the efficiency of the system thereby improving the management and functioning of the land management system.
Natural areas are the parts of land that have not been altered from their natural conditions and these parts are managed according to the natural regeneration cycle. These areas require special attention as they are highly vulnerable to degradation. Restoration is another form of land management strategy that mainly involves the conservation of the natural spaces. Restoration mainly involves the improvement of the physical condition of the land and the condition of the natural areas. These methods are mainly adopted for the restoration of the land and the natural areas after severe degradation that has occurred due to soil erosion, climate change, or major rivers or water bodies entering the land.