Land-use planning for the Guadalupe Valley, Baja California, Mexico

Development threats to beautiful and productive agricultural areas occur throughout the world. This case study of one such productive valley reveals its agricultural uniqueness to Mexico and the pressures for its industrialization. Landscape and regional planning and environmental impact assessment tools were applied to suggest compatible and sustainable uses. Five environmental units were selected according to a digital model of the terrain and the overlapping of ecological maps, aerial photos and Landsat images. Descriptions included both natural and transformed physical attributes. Cultural and landscape architecture parameters were added to evaluate the aesthetics of each unit. Contrasting six potential land-uses (agriculture, agri-industry, tourism-recreation, urban, range management for cattle, and conservation) generated the capacity for sustained land-use, together with an environmental impact assessment. Economic means for directing land-use toward sustainability are to be developed by the local government. Community organization, local political pressure and the tastes of the national government will dictate its future use.