9. Land use planning is based on a “light” methodology avoiding unnecessary
data collection resulting in “data graveyards”;
10. Land use planning in terms of methodology and content differs
e.g. in scale, specificity, form of participation (direct vs. indirect), and
technology at village, municipal and regional level;
11. Land use planning considers and valorises local knowledge. Rural
societies or groups often possess a complex autochthonous knowledge
of their natural environment. They can contribute valuable information
and should, therefore, be mobilized during the land use planning;
12. Land use planning takes into account traditional strategies for solving
problems and conflicts. Traditional rural societies have their own
way of approaching problems and settling conflicts concerning land
use. In the process of land use planning, such mechanisms have to be
recognized, understood and taken into account;
13. Land use planning follows the idea of subsidiarity, i.e. all functions
from planning to decision-making, implementation and monitoring
are assigned to the lowest appropriate level of government in order to
be responsive to the needs of citizens and to ensure effective control
from below;
14. Land use planning integrates bottom-up aspects with top-down aspects
(“vertical integration”). Land use planning needs to combine local
needs and interests with provisions made by higher levels. This can
only be achieved in a sustainable way if stakeholders from all levels
participate in the process and directly talk and listen (!) to each other;
15. Land use planning is based on inter-disciplinary cooperation and
requires sector coordination (“horizontal integration”). The diverse
functions and (potential) uses of land make it necessary to apply an
interdisciplinary approach involving all sectors that have a stake in
that area. This generally requires a longer support in institution building
and improving cooperation between different sector ministries/
agencies;