IS land use and soil
management Sustainable in University of Moratuwa
Land use and the consumption of natural resources are
an area which draws public attention. There are good reasons for this in the
world such as the climate changes, growing of cities, geographic distribution
and the age structure of the population changing, and the higher prices for
agricultural products. As a result, land is in short supply and there will be
conflicts between nature and the human.
Buildings and unsustainable agricultural methods will
lead to a decline in soil quality that provides humanity with essential
services. One-quarter of all living species are found in soil, and people
depend on it for, among other things like food, clothing, building materials,
medicines, and the regulation of clean water and air.
The University of Moratuwa is situated in a urban area
and its area mainly covered with human made structures. The ‘Bolgoda Oya’ and
some areas like the front of old gym and the behind of the lagaan provide
natural beauty to the university but someone can argue is that enough.
Absolutely it is not enough because there are more and more buildings are
putting up without assessing the natural beauty. As a failure of a project,
anyone can see the steel building because when there is a heavy rain, the
classrooms in the ground floor will affected with muddy water. Improper
planning and not assessing the nature are the reasons behind that.
When covering the university premises it is clear that
the land is covered with manmade structures and impervious cover as well as
little amount of pervious cover. Pervious cover areas are mainly thicken with
grass lands, few number of trees, bushes, soil and gravel. Some grass lands are
put up by human to provide greenery to the university because the feeling of
this is a concrete forest may come in to minds of occupants.
There are retaining walls put to protect sliding of
soil areas and it is visible that for some extent university administration
think about the environment. Behind the Lagaan there are some new trees planted
and also grown trees also put up along the Sumanadasa building and Goda
canteen. It is like making a garden in university which is other way around of
university in the garden like city in garden concept of Singapore.
Grass lands are put up and protected as in the figure
and there are lots of small areas like this in the university premises. Even
though there are walking paths made through the grass lands, occupants still
not walk on them. It is an obligation of everybody to protect the available
resources.
Number of areas where more than 10 trees are located, are
less than the fingers in hands and underneath the trees grass also not at the
level it should be. If someone comparatively look about the university premises
of Moratuwa and other universities in the country they will say this is a bad
area to study because there is only buildings and there are not enough pure air
and natural beauty which will able to relax the mind of students. ‘Kaju Kale’
one of the area which is consist of trees even though between the trees man
made capital is visible. There for it is questionable that it also can be taken
as an area which is consist of trees. Other than the grass areas and trees
there are gravel areas which is provide different feeling to a person because
it is natural and different from impervious cover. But it is very clear that university
premises are not sustainable according to the strategies of land use and soil
management.
There are concrete block paving, concreted areas and
tar areas in the university as manmade capital or impervious cover. Addition to
impervious covering or grassing the available limited land there are bushes
planted near the buildings to provide natural aesthetic appearance to buildings
and there is a retaining wall covered with some kind of catena which provide
beauty to the surroundings also.
After gathering the sufficient information through the
surveying anyone who knows about sustainable land use strategies will quickly
identify that the university is not up to the standard in at least for the
average. There for it is better to improve the sustainable land use and soil
management from now onwards.
Arsecularatne B.P. 162604D
Ekenayake K.M.N.K. 162405N
Hasantha P.P.G.M.L 162627B
Jayathilaka R.D.W.W. 162634T
Madushan R.L.D 162647K
Shylanth P. 162671D
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