Land suitability analysis for the upper Gila River watershed

In the United States, federal management agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management are required to assess the capability of land for future use. In addition, Arizona law now requires local jurisdictions to prepare comprehensive and general plans. Suitability analysis can be used for compliance with several elements of these plans. Here, a framework for land suitability analysis is presented for the upper Gila River watershed in Arizona and New Mexico. The framework is based on a thorough ecological inventory of the watershed. A goal of suitability analysis is to explicitly identify constraints and opportunities for future land conservation and development. This is accomplished by determining the fitness of a given tract of land for a defined use. Four land uses were targeted by local officials for analysis: low-density housing, commercial development, industrial development, and recreation. The framework can be useful for natural resource management as well as town, city, county, and federal planning in the watershed.