METHODS AND IMPORTANCE OF LAND RECLAMATION

METHODS OF LAND RECLAMATION

There are various methods of land reclamation. These include the following:

1. Afforestation: Afforestation is the process of establishing forest plantations in an area. In Nigeria, it is popularly referred to as tree planting campaign in which seedlings of trees are planted to make the environment suitable for human habitation as well as for farming.
2. Construction of barriers: Barriers are constructed along certain area in order to prevent water from entry that land. This is done to protect that land from water logging.
3. Sand filling: This involves the dumping of enough soil, rocks etc to raise the surface of the land above the water level, sea level or lake level.
4. Emboldening: Emboldening refers to the walling of an area and removing the water. Emboldening requires years of maintenance to pump out water, designate the soil and otherwise improve it.
5. Construction of drainages: Drainages are deliberately constructed in water logged areas to channel water away so that such land will be available for human habitation.
6. Control of erosion: Erosion have to be controlled in order to prevent the soil from being eroded away. Erosion can cause certain land not to be available for human habitat.

IMPORTANCE OF LAND RECLAMATION

The benefits of land reclamation are vast, and most importantly reclamation remains a vital part of the future and current welfare of the environment

The importance of land reclamation are as follows:

1. Increase in land area: When certain land is reclaimed, it tends to increase the area for human habitation.
2. Agricultural purposes: Agricultural activities such as swamp rice production is promote where land have been reclaimed.
3. Recreational purposes: Reclaimed land is some times used for recreational purposes e e.g. national parks for tourist purposes.
4. Purification of water: The water that left behind after land reclamation tends to be pure for domestic or industrial purposes.
5. Creation of habitat for wildlife: Reclaimed land tends to be used for wild life purposes in some parts of the country.
6. Natural preservation for fauna: Water normally is retained after land land have been reclaimed in waterlog area. Such water retained do serve from the preservation of fauna (natural food for aquatic animals).
7. Creation for grazing purposes: The reclaimed land is also used for grazing by ruminant animals such as goat, sheep and cattle.
8. Environmental quality: Land reclamation do lead to high quality of the environment as such land is free from water encroachment.