In your country, is there more need for land to be left in its natural condition or is there more need for land to be developed for housing and industry?

Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

The conclusion of the writer is that, in his country, there is more need for land to be left in its natural condition. In doing so, the writer supports his thesis by stating that more land is needed for housing and industry. However, there are several reasons that this thesis is flawed.

First, the writer makes the statement that land left in its natural condition ‘better supports local economies’. This conclusion assumes that all local economies benefit equally from land left in its natural condition. This is not necessarily the case. The local economy of a town or village dependent on tourism or recreational industries may derive greater economic benefits from land left in its natural condition than from that same land being developed for housing. Additionally, some regions are more vulnerable to economic upheaval than other regions. For example, in 2007, Texas suffered an economic decline due to a severe drought. In addition to severe economic problems, many ranchers and farmers lost their land to foreclosure. Although many of these people attempted to sell land to developers, the land was not developed. This land was never developed because the landowners could not sell their land or because developers refused to buy land in such poor condition.

Land left in its natural condition for housing also presents problems. First, with the population increasing, more houses and homes are required. This trend requires land to be cleared of trees so that houses can be built. The trees can be harvested for use as fuel, but in many cases, the trees are not harvested, and the land becomes barren, which decreases the value of the land and may adversely affect the value of the home. Second, land left in its natural condition may encourage the growth of weeds. Weeds thrive in fertile soil. Land left in its natural condition will only become fertile again once it is cleared of weeds. This clearing of the soil may result in soil erosion, which further decreases the value of the land. Finally, although proponents of land left in its natural condition claim that this natural condition supports local economies, this claim does not hold true for farming. Crops, like grapes, cannot survive in natural soil. Therefore, farmers have to purchase soil from elsewhere to plant their crops. Therefore, the land left in its natural condition cannot be used for agriculture, which implies that the pristine natural condition of the land is only beneficial to tourists, campers, and hikers. Therefore, more land is needed for housing and industry than for land to remain in its natural condition.

A third reason that the writer’s conclusion is flawed is that housing needs change as the population increases. As more people move to rural areas, the demand for housing increases. The demand for housing increases because as more people move to a rural region, the housing market becomes more competitive, and housing prices climb. With housing prices climbing, fewer people can afford housing. As the supply of housing decreases, home prices climb even higher, as the demand for housing increases. This trend continues until there is a shortage of housing in this area. At that point, housing prices begin to decline, and housing becomes more affordable. This trend repeats as more people move to rural areas. Therefore, the population of a country needs to expand over time to accommodate housing needs.

Unfortunately, the writer’s conclusion that more land is needed for housing and industry is flawed. To better accommodate populations that are growing, new housing must be built. However, this housing must be built in such a way that the environmental impact of building is minimized. For example, new housing must be built near public transportation systems, such as subways and buses. New housing must also be built so that trees on the lot are not cut down, and new housing should not require the removal of large amounts of soil. Also, new housing should be built so that soil erosion is minimized, and new housing should be built so that farmland is protected from flooding. Further, new housing should be built so that water runoff does not contaminate water supplies.

Developers, however, should not build housing on undeveloped land. Because the majority of the population in developed countries lives in cities, undeveloped land should be reserved for wildlife, parks, or forests. In addition, undeveloped land should not be sold to developers. Instead, the land should be managed by the government so that land can be left in its natural state.

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