Question | Answer |
clear-cutting | method of harvesting trees in which all of the trees are removed from a land area, as opposed to selective cutting |
deforestation | clearing trees from an area without replacing them |
Federal Mining Act | act of U.S. Congress to regulate the filing and settling of land claims in the West |
infrastructure | the necessary structures, including roads, buildings, bridges, and sewers, that a society builds for public use |
land-use planning | determining the location of homes, businesses, and protected areas before an area is developed |
mass transit | transportation facilities to move large numbers of people at a time |
mineral | solid substance found in nature that consists of a single element or compound |
mineral resources | minerals that have economic value and are useful to humans in some way |
multiple-use management | term used to indicate variety of ways that land can be used to best serve the majority of people |
non-urban land | rural land, such as forest, grassland, and farmland, that is not densely populated and that does not have a large infrastructure |
open-pit mining | method of mining in which large holes are dug in the ground to remove materials such as ore, sand, gravel, and building stone |
open space | areas purposely left undeveloped for the enjoyment of urban residents |
Operation Green Thumb (OGT) | program sponsored by New York City’s Department of General Services enabling nonprofit organizations to create community vegetable and flower gardens |
ore | rock that contains minerals |
overgrazing | damage to a grassland caused by too many animals eating in a limited area; often so harmful that the grass cannot recover |
rangeland | grassland used for grazing animals |
reclamation | the process of restoring land to the condition it was in before mining operations began |
reforestation | process of replacing trees that have died or been cut down |
selective cutting | method of harvesting only middle-aged or mature trees individually or in small groups |
strip mining | method of mining in winch huge machines clear away large strips of the Earth’s surface, as in phosphate mining |
suburban sprawl | low-density development that spreads out around cities |
urban area | land area with dense population and with the housing and infrastructure necessary for citizens’ wellbeing |
urban crisis | condition in which more people live in a city than its infrastructure can support |
urbanization | movement of people from rural areas to cities |
urban-renewal project | program to rebuild a worn-down urban area by providing improved facilities |
wilderness | designated natural area where the land and the ecosystems it supports are protected |