jordforvaltningspraksis

Jordforvaltning, often translated as land management, is the integrated stewardship of land resources to sustain productivity, ecological integrity, and societal well-being. It covers the use, protection, and restoration of soil, water, vegetation, and related ecosystems across agricultural, urban, forestry, and coastal landscapes.

Key objectives include preserving soil health, preventing erosion, maintaining water quality and availability, supporting food production, safeguarding biodiversity, and reducing vulnerability to climate change. The practice emphasizes sustainable use, resilience, and intergenerational equity, and is implemented through coordinated planning among government, landowners, communities, and industry.

Policy tools commonly used are land-use zoning and planning, tenure arrangements, incentives for sustainable practices, monitoring systems, and participatory decision-making. Technical approaches include soil conservation measures (terracing, contour plowing, cover crops), water management (efficient irrigation, rainwater harvesting), agroforestry, reforestation, restoration of degraded lands, and soil fertility management.

Data and indicators—such as soil organic matter, erosion rates, land cover change, and biodiversity metrics—support monitoring and adaptive management. Internationally, jordforvaltning aligns with frameworks like sustainable land management guidelines, soil health initiatives, and the Sustainable Development Goals, with many countries embedding land management in national policies and regional planning.

Challenges include soil degradation, desertification, salinization, urban expansion, policy fragmentation, and insufficient data. Effective jordforvaltning relies on cross-sector cooperation, long-term investment, and integration of local knowledge with scientific research.