Planning of Land Use Based on Environmental Carrying Capacity in East Tidore Subdistrict, Tidore Island City

Abstract

Land needs for the development of the agricultural sector in East Tidore Subdistrict always increase along with the increasing population. Lack of understanding of land characteristics causes agricultural development is not based on the ability and carrying capacity of land. This can be seen from the increasingly widespread development of agriculture on steeply sloped forest lands (>45%) that have the potential to cause land damage. In order that that land can be used in an optimal, continual and sustainable manner, planning of land use is needed based on the capability and carrying capacity of the land. This research aims to evaluate the suitability of land use, determine the status of carrying capacity of land and determine the direction of land use based on the ability and carrying capacity of the environment in East Tidore Subdistrict. This research uses an analytical approach with free survey observation distance (free survey) combined with transects and boring observation types and pit profiles. The results of the research obtained six land capability classes in East Tidore Subdistrict, namely class III covering 650.2 ha (21.5%), class IV covering 1,060.8 ha (35.1%), class V covering 47.2 ha (1.6%), class VI covering 454.1 ha (15.0%), class VII covering 325.7 ha (10.8%) and class VIII covering 481.2 ha (15.9%). Land capability classes suitable for agricultural development (classes III and IV) are 1,711.0 ha (56.7%) and inappropriate (classes V, VI, VII and VIII) are 1,308.2 ha (43.3%). The use of existing agricultural plantations/mixed estates that are in accordance with the capability of land (class III and IV) covering 1,176.4 ha (39.0%) and not suitable (class V, VI, VII and VIII) covering 860.1 ha (28.5%), and the use of suitable moor/land area of 24.3 ha (0.8%) and unsuitable area of 28.9 ha (1.0%). The availability of land (SL) covers an area of 2,926 ha and the need for land equivalent to rice (DL) is 6,420 ha, where the land requirement has exceeded the carrying capacity of the land contained in East Tidore Subdistrict. The direction of land use for agricultural development in the Subdistrict of East Tidore covering an area of 2,300.1 ha (76.2%) consisting of the use of moor/land area of 7.8 ha (0.3%), mixed gardens covering 1,058.7 ha (35.1%) and agroforestry covering 1,233.6 ha (40.9%).