Land use conversion

Land use conversion is a general term for large scale geographic change. Afforestation is one such land conversion in which trees are planted on previously non forested areas. Afforestation may occur deliberately or through the abandonment of marginal agricultural land. Depending on the tree species planted and the intensity of forest management, afforestation may have more or less environmental benefits. The NWRM related benefits include potentially enhanced evapotranspiration associated with growing forests and better water holding capacity associated with forest soils. The greatest environmental benefits are probably associated with planting of indigenous broadleaves and low intensity forestry. Plantation forestry with exotic species is likely to be less beneficial to the environment. It should be mentioned that afforestation in dry areas can cause or intensify water shortage. Even though afforestation may reduce available water supply at local scale, forest cover increases water supply regionally and globally, in particular through the intensification of the water cycle.