Land Use Model Map Explanation: AP Human Geography

🌍 Land Use Models Explained

Land use models are simplified representations of how land is utilized in urban and agricultural settings. They help us understand spatial patterns and economic forces that shape landscapes.

👨‍🏫 Von Thünen Model

The Von Thünen Model, developed by Johann Heinrich von Thünen, explains agricultural land use around a market city. It assumes a single market, uniform land quality, and farmers transporting goods via oxcart.

• 🐄 Central Market: The city center where goods are sold.
• 🥕 Market Gardening & Dairying: Closest to the market because these products are perishable and expensive to transport.
• 🪵 Forestry: Located in the second ring, providing timber for fuel and construction; important before coal.
• 🌾 Crop Farming: Used for crops like wheat and corn. Located further away as they are less perishable.
• 🥩 Ranching: The outermost ring, used for animal grazing. Requires the most land.

Example: Imagine a city surrounded by farmland. The closest farms grow strawberries, while distant farms grow wheat.

🏙️ Burgess Concentric Zone Model

The Burgess Model, also known as the Concentric Zone Model, describes urban land use in a series of rings around the Central Business District (CBD).

• 🏢 Central Business District (CBD): The innermost ring containing offices, retail, and cultural activities.
• 🏭 Transition Zone: Surrounds the CBD, characterized by industry and low-income housing.
• 🏘️ Working-Class Housing: Modest homes for blue-collar workers.
• 🌳 Middle-Class Housing: Larger homes and more desirable residential areas.
• 🚗 Commuter Zone: Outermost ring with suburban areas and residential developments.

Example: Think of Chicago, where the downtown area (CBD) is surrounded by older industrial areas, followed by residential neighborhoods that get newer as you move outward.

📐 Hoyt Sector Model

The Hoyt Sector Model explains urban land use as sectors radiating out from the city center along transportation routes.

• 🏢 Central Business District (CBD): The center of the city.
• 🏭 Transportation & Industry: Sectors that follow major transportation routes (railroads, highways).
• 🏘️ Low-Income Housing: Adjacent to industrial sectors.
• 🌳 Middle-Income Housing: Located away from industrial areas.
• 💰 High-Income Housing: Extends furthest from the city center along desirable corridors.

Example: Consider a city where the wealthy live along a scenic river, while factories are clustered near a major highway.

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