Author(s)

P. Gori & L. Highland

Abstract

Land-use planners have an important role in reducing losses from landslide hazards. For that reason, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the American Planning Association (APA) have developed a strategy to make information about landslide and debris-flow hazards available to local planners so that they can incorporate this information into the planning process. A guidebook for planners and active training and technical support are the centerpieces of this strategy. The guidebook offers planners and public officials numerous suggestions and cased studies of how landslide–hazard information can be and has been incorporated into the local planning and development process. Although the guidebook is designed for a U.S. audience, it can nevertheless serve as a resource for planners in other counties. The process that the USGS used to enlist a professional society such as the APA to develop the guidebook and communicate with and educate its members is a sound one that allows scientists and planning professions to work together to reduce future losses from landslides Keywords: landslides, landslide-hazards, debris-flow hazards, land-use planning, natural hazards. 1 Introduction Landslides result in an estimated 25 to 59 deaths and $3.6 billion (2001 dollars) in damages annually in the United States Schuster [1]. Hundreds of landslides can be triggered by a single storm or earthquake, causing spectacular damage in a short time over a wide area. In the United States, the greatest damage from all types of landslides occurs in the Appalachian Mountain, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Coast regions, as well as Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Widespread landslides

Keywords

landslides, landslide-hazards, debris-flow hazards, land-use planning, natural hazards.