ABSTRACT
Soils, land and geology are important components of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA). This chapter concentrates on the assessment of land and soil impacts, including contaminated land. A number of aspects of geology are of direct importance in ESIA, including the conservation, protection and management of fossils, stratigraphy, minerals, or other geological features of interest. Field observations of colour can be a clue to soil composition, parent material and soil drainage status. In developing countries, land evaluation methodologies have to consider whether the soil limitation can be effectively addressed. Land quality' has two meanings in current ESIA practice. Firstly, it relates to the quality of undisturbed land and natural soils, their value for agriculture and forestry, and the provision of terrestrial ecosystem services. Secondly, it is concerned with the degree to which soils have been degraded and polluted by disturbance and contamination arising from human activity, and the necessary remedial measures.
