ABSTRACT


Manuel Rodríguez Zapata1
 
lt is presented an analysis on Land Use Capability of Chilean soils. This analysis is based on the 8 classes of Land of Use Capability determined by the US. DA. Soil and water Conservation Service. In orderto classify the Chilean soils under these systems, the country was previously divided into eight Natural Regions based on physiographic characteristics. Thece eight Regions were subdivicled into 20 sub-classes considering the interaction of climate, soils, topography, vegetation,water, latitude and altitude. An analysis was made als oon the problems involved in the actual use of the soils and land which were classified under the Land Use Capability Classes. Land management recommendations are considered taking into account the use that the soils have had. There were presented two maps, one showing the Natural Regions, the other the Land Use Capability of Chile, which covers 750.000 Km2 at a scale of1: 1.000.000. Finally, it was obtainecl a summary of the figures obtainedfor each class of Land Use Capability and compare with the ones ofthe last Agricultural Census of 1955.It was recommencled to create a National Board for the purposeof promoting Coorclinatec research to obtain an Inventory of the Natural Renewable Resources of the country. This will permit to coordinate the investigations carriecl out by differents Institutes clealing with soils, grasses, forests, water, climate, natural vegetation and animal resources.
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1Ingeniero Agrónomo. Director del Departamento de Conservación y Administración de Recursos Agrícolas y Forestales.