The Alterra research done for the landuse theme examines the spatial patterns of land use, landscape, soil and water (land inventory) and the impacts of land use changes. We study the impacts of these changes on the functioning of the soil and its environment. The Soil Centre also contributes to research on multifunctional land use (land uses that promote nature, the recreational use of the countryside and water management, for example).
When planning land use, especially in an international context, attention is paid to integration with the socio-economic evaluation of land management and research is done on the adoption of measures and the impact of policy on soil management.
The realisation that blanket measures are impracticable without major interventions and massive expenditure has resulted in the rediscovery that the relationship between landscape, soil and water is an important driving factor for rural development and land use.
The landuse research theme is subdivided into the following themes: