Each mosaic sheet at a scale of 1:20,000 covered an area of 10 minutes of
latitude by 10 minutes of longitude. Five hundred and thirty sheets were prepared
to cover the Project area.
PROPERTY MAPPING
Through an extensive field survey the Project obtained information to
delineate on the aerial photographs and the photo-mosaics the boundaries of
approximately 170,000 agricultural properties.
Cadastral maps were not prepared because the cost and time required in their
preparation would have been out of proportion to their immediate usefulness. It
is planned that a cadastral mapping program will be implemented at a later date by-
Chilean government agencies.
Under the supervision of a tax mapping expert, more than 65 local appraisers
were trained in the use of aerial photographs for the delineation of property
boundaries. Interviews were held with property owners to define their holdings
on the photographs.
Each rural property larger than one hectare was outlined and identified as to
owner and property size (measured by planimeter) on the 1:20,000 mosaics.
The information gathered in this phase of the work provided an accounting of
the number of rural properties, the total area of useful agricultural lands, the
area of each property, a summary of economic factors effecting the property, the
availability of transportation facilities for the distribution of agricultural
products, and the degree of concentration of the small and large estates. These
data were incorporated into an IBM punch card system for use in electronic compu
ter programs.
Present Land Use
The Project classified the present land use of the land within the Project
area according to the system of the International Geographical Union, modified
for Chile’s special characteristics. This work was accomplished through a program
of photo-interpretation and field checking.
The first steps in the evaluation of the land were to provide technical