The suitability is the aptitude of a given type of land to support a defined use. The process of land suitability classification is the appraisal and grouping of specific areas of land in terms of their suitability for a defined use.
In this study two categories are recognised: orders and classes.
The orders indicate whether or not given types of land are suitable for the concerned land utilisation type and are expressed by the symbols S and N:
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- S (suitable) |
Land on which sustained use is expected to yield benefits which justify the inputs, without unacceptable risk of damage to land resources |
|
- N (not suitable) |
Land whose qualities appear to preclude sustainability for the considered land use |
Classes reflect degrees of suitability within the order "suitable". Normally three classes are recognised:
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- S1 (highly suitable) |
Land which has no significant or only minor limitations to the sustained application of the given land utilisation |
|
- S2 (moderately suitable) |
Land which has limitations that are moderately severe for sustained application of the given land utilisation. The limitations will reduce productivity or benefits and will increase the required inputs |
|
- S3 (marginally suitable) |
Land which has severe limitations for sustained application of the land utilisation |
There are no quantitative definitions of the S1/S2 and S2/S3 boundaries; defined limits, in terms of relative yields, costs or economic return, may be adopted for each particular evaluation.
|
- N (not suitable) |
The limitations are so severe that they preclude the successful application of the given land utilisation type |
Figure 23- Land capability map
Areas that have not been assessed for a given use, because that use has been precluded because of the assumptions of the evaluation, are shown on maps and tables as NR, not relevant.
For a better understanding of the natural limitations no subclasses have been used, but a weight has been assigned to all the natural features taken into account, in order to increase their "relative importance" in the suitability assessment. These weights range from 1 to 5 and their use will be described in detail in each specific land suitability.