**1. Introduction**

Land use has long sustained human societies, but its ecological consequences have been diverse and sometimes opposing, both degrading and enriching soils and affecting and shaping habitats [1, 2]. In the first half of the twentieth century, attempts to understand land use regulation and management and concomitant changes were restricted to the application of theories and models that emphasized the allocation of

land for complementary purposes. For instance, the theories and models associated with urban and rural land use, such as those postulated by Harris & Ullman, Hoyt, Burgess and Von Thunen [3] focused on arranging land uses around and radiating outwards from the Central Business District (CBD). However, these theories and models have been limited in scope and application, especially in terms of some of the very restrictive assumptions under which they were constructed. Each theory allocated certain land uses in proximity to industries, adjacent to low-income areas and promoted spatial and social segregation. Land use management generally refers to the implementation of any measure that regulates the use or a change in the form or function of land to achieve stated objectives. However, in circumstances where there is a failure to satisfactorily address a range of social, urban and community, and environmental issues conflicts emerge among various groups and degradation to the natural physical environment and ecosystems results [3, 4].

Briassoulis [1] noted that it is important to reconcile and integrate three epistemological approaches to determine land use and change. These are: (i) inductive approach—to observe and describe to understand; (ii) deductive approach—to model to understand; and (iii) dialectic approach—to integrate to understand. These traditions were first proffered by the Brundtland Commission Report of 1987 [5]. Further emphasis has been placed at the time when there was almost universal concern about global environmental change resulting in a significant number of research and policy initiatives worldwide, especially after the Rio Summit in 1992 [6]. Policy issues, for examples, have emerged from research initiatives undertaken by the FAO, the European Environment Agency (EEA) as well as the United Nations which focused on the Conventions on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Desertification (UNCCD), and Biological Diversity (UNCBD). Land use changes in various physiographic and administrative regions, including coastal areas, soon became recognized as a significant component of the global environmental system.

Over the past few decades, the management of land use, including coastal ecosystems became a popular talking point among planners and policy-makers and concerted efforts have since been made to integrate geospatial models and the use of technologies to have a deeper insight into the issues surrounding land use change and better understanding of the various management strategies to employ for addressing land use [7–9]. Land use now focuses on incorporating the models and technologies for both extensive and intensive land management initiatives. The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) in land use management has therefore reshaped global patterns of biodiversity, ecosystems, and landscapes planning and management [2, 10].

The degree of efficiency of such practice has resulted in some instances of orderly arrangement of land uses, protection of the natural environment and ecosystems, reduction in pollution and promotion of good health and well-being of various populations worldwide [9, 11, 12]. It does not mean that the practice is without shortcomings also, especially in the absence of stringent regulatory frameworks and prudent fiscal management systems. This has been recognized by the many issues with the land selection process, resulting in conflicts among various land and resource users [12]. According to the Canadian Institute of Planners [13] and Pelling [14], failure to effectively regulate land use leads to deterioration of physical, economic, social, and environmental conditions. These conditions, in turn, affect ecosystems and the services they provide.

In Guyana, some practices associated with land use do not often address key elements of ecosystems management [15, 16]. Planning decisions for managing the

#### *Perspectives and Application of Land Use Management Strategies to Address Mangrove… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112752*

fragile coastal ecosystems, for instance, have been very limited because of the lack of or insufficient accurate and up-to-date scientific data on several interconnected elements including land use, biodiversity, and coastal dynamics (tidal movements, ocean currents and sediment cycles) and anthropogenic activities. These phenomena are now strongly influenced by climate variability and climate change and population growth rate demand for land, especially among the poorer sections of society.

A fundamental starting point for confronting coastal land use and ecosystems management issues is to understand how the dynamics of land use planning interact with urban and rural systems and resource users in the ever-changing coastal environment. This can only be understood and appreciated with the aid of some geospatial applications and the requisite technical skills to interpret the data. Too often decision-makers and planners in the country view land use management as a transient phenomenon and do not appreciate its value for sustainable coastal ecosystems management. For this reason, development activities have been expanding and accelerating in areas for which no land use plan exists, mangroves are destroyed to facilitate industrial and other developments and livelihood activities, and indiscriminate disposal of domestic and industrial effluent in mangrove areas is widespread [17–19]. The absence of land use plans is a recipe for incompatible land use because development is done in a haphazard manner, failing to incorporate key socioeconomic, physical, and environmental factors in the decision-making process [7, 15]. Such actions are also oblivious to legal and institutional systems, some of which are outdated and in urgent need of review.

The main objective of this paper is to illustrate the efficacy of integrating two sets of geospatial technologies (GIS and Remote Sensing) in zoning and regionalization as land use management strategies to address the issue of mangrove ecosystem degradation at Mon Repos, Guyana. The study draws attention to the need for the use of GIS and remote sensing to develop a comprehensive understanding of and appreciation for the complexity of land use and mangrove ecosystems management at the study area and how these interact with the dynamics of coastal processes and human intervention. It presents a conceptual framework of land use management and mangrove ecosystems sustainability and analyses the challenges for the effective management of the ecosystem. Finally, the study provides a variety of perspectives, proposed strategies, and lessons to support the transferability of knowledge and experiences to similar coastal ecosystems in Guyana.
