Land Resource Inventory: A Primary Tool for Sustainable Integrated Watershed Management

Abstract— Land, the most indispensable natural resource has been facing challenges of soil degradation, water scarcity, reduced productivity, climate change, social deterioration etc. In these consequences, the rainfed areas might get the priority to develop because of its area coverage in India and great potentiality towards crop yields increment through improved resource management practices. Rainfed areas can best be managed through integrated watershed management approach involving human intervention in manipulating natural resources for overall societal development. Land resource inventory (LRI) is the first and primary step followed by planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in the watershed management programme. We surveyed and studied Dwarkeshwar microwatershed in Puruliya district of West Bengal for land resource inventory at 1:3960 scale considering soil, parent material, existing land use, physiography, climate and vegetation. Nine soil series and ten physiographic units were identified and mapped. Considering the above parameters with the existing socio-economic status and need, a management unit map regarding land use planning has been developed for further use as a primary tool for implementation purpose.