Socio-economic factors in headwater land management

Headwaters are classified in different categories depending on geology, topography, and on climate. Socio-economic factors allow another classification, which is based on the use of, and the human interaction with, the headwater region. Because these regions are particularly vulnerable to human interference, a study of the development of headwater regions offers excellent demonstrations of the concept of sustainability and of sustainable development. Differences exist between mountainous areas with steep slopes, and gently sloping loess areas, such as found in southwest Germany. In the former, the opportunities offered to the inhabitants determine if the area is utilized in a sustainable manner, or whether economic forces and better opportunities elsewhere lead to neglect of headwaters, with resulting environmental degradation and high susceptibility to natural disasters. In the latter, a more gradual decline of the food-producing capacity of the head lands is generated by erosion, which, if the economic incentives are right, are compensated by capital or labour investments. For this, a decision support system is formulated, based on models developed in Karlsruhe.