Causes of Wasteland Formation
Some of the important causes responsible for the formation of wastelands are as follows:
- Over-Cultivation: Over-Cultivation refers to the excessive cultivation of land without permitting proper regeneration of the land. This results in the problems of soil erosion, reduction in soil productivity, and also problems reducing nutrients. Over-Cultivation also causes land degradation and unfortunately, there is a situation of wasteland formation.
- Overgrazing: Overgrazing refers to the excessive use of land for animal feeding or grazing. Continuous grazing of animals results in the problems of soil erosion and degradation and also leads to the decrement of quality and also quantity of vegetation. This is also the major cause of Cultural Wastelands.
- Unskilled irrigation: Irrigation is the agricultural solution to water crops in dry acquired lands. But improper irrigation leads to Cultural Wastelands in terms of waterlogging, salinization, and also soil degradation.
- Deforestation: Deforestation is all about cutting trees from the land surface which highly impacts the loss of nutrients, and changes in weather patterns and is also responsible for land degradation.
- Dumping of wastes and mines: Mine and waste disposal can contaminate the soil and water, which can eventually result in the development of wastelands. Chemical and industrial waste disposal can also degrade the soil’s fertility and render it unusable for farming or other land uses.
- Misuse and unscientific land management: Misuses and unscientific land management techniques, such as the incorrect application of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, can cause soil erosion and degradation and the creation of wasteland. Furthermore, unsustainable land-use techniques like monoculture can result in a decline in soil fertility and an increase in soil erosion.
Cultural Wasteland: Causes, Classification and Importance
A Cultural Wasteland is defined as the land that is available for cultivation or forestation and is given for harvesting to an individual for a sequence of five years. These lands previously may be totally filled with shrubs and jungles and are not being used by the other common people.
These lands consist of no other social spots. These wastelands are unused land sometimes incapable of the purpose of agriculture due to various reasons such as logged land, marshy land, degraded forest land, saline land, and industrial wasteland.
Cultured Wasteland