How is the term “land use” defined?

The term “land use” is best defined as how land is used by people. This encompasses a wide variety of activities and purposes that people have for land, including agriculture, urban development, recreation, forestry, and conservation. Understanding land use is crucial for effective planning and management of resources, as it sketches a picture of how land is allocated for different human activities and their impact on the environment.

In contrast, the other options represent specific aspects or practices related to land or its management but do not capture the broad definition of land use itself. For example, the retention of water pertains to water management and conservation practices, while protection of coastlines relates specifically to coastal management, and construction of roads addresses infrastructure development. These are all important in their own right, but they do not encompass the overall concept of land use.