What is Land Potential?

Land potential is the capacity of land to support ecosystem services required to meet “the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (adapted from the Brundtland Commission 1987 “Our Common Future” sustainability definition).

Land potential can also be defined in terms of the capacity of land to support more specific land use objectives, including its potential to provide the resources necessary for one or more species to complete their life cycles and reproduce. The value of applying the land potential concept to biodiversity conservation is that it allows the potential future range of species to be predicted based on habitat requirements, rather than relying solely on historic or existing plant and animal community patterns. This is particularly important where climate change and invasive species modify the conditions necessary for species of interest to survive and reproduce.