iCLUE - projecting land use into the future
The iCLUE simulation model allocates land use based on areal land use demands. Allocation takes place based on: (1) land use suitability (e.g. no agriculture on steep slopes with dry unfertile soils), (2) conversion rules (e.g. ‘urban cannot change into pasture’, or ‘new production forest can only be harvested after 20 years and turned into fallow land’), (3) neighbouring land use (e.g. built-up area is likely to expand next to existing built-up area) and (4) the areal demand for specific land use types (e.g. 250 hectares of agriculture in my study area in 2030).