Harris, SMcDowell, RichardLilburne, LLaurenson, SDowling, LGuo, JPletnyakov, PBeare, MPalmer, D2021-08-122021-06-132021-092021-06-072665-9727UA2ZL (isidoc)https://hdl.handle.net/10182/14124The Land Use Suitability (LUS) concept informs decision-making by stakeholders with information about the economic and environmental consequences of land use choices. LUS is composed of three indicators describing the inherent productive and economic potential of land parcels (productive potential), the contribution of a land parcel to lose contaminants relative to other land parcels (relative contribution), and the load of contaminants lost compared to the load that ensures that environmental objectives are met (pressure). This paper outlines an improved indicator of productive potential (PP). We outline the four layers of information that comprise PP for a land parcel: (1) Feasibility, which defines whether the productivity and quality of a crop is enough to allow the land use to be undertaken; (2) Yield, which is the amount of a product or crop that can be grown; (3) Economic returns, given the yield and other requirements for the land parcel; and (4) Economic Importance, which combines information about the economic returns and the probability of a land use being undertaken. These layers can be combined into a single PP indicator of the value of the land for economic use. The PP indicator can be expressed continuously or categorically and mapped at a national scale. When combined with the Relative Contribution and Pressure indicators in the LUS system, it allows for identification of areas which are most suitable for intensification by providing for a direct comparison of the economic and environmental outcomes.12 pagesen© 2021 The Authors.economic importanceeconomic returnsfeasibilityland and water managementpressurerelative contributionstrategic land use assessmentyieldJournal Article10.1016/j.indic.2021.1001282665-9727ANZSRC::330404 Land use and environmental planningANZSRC::410402 Environmental assessment and monitoringANZSRC::410601 Land capability and soil productivityANZSRC::380101 Agricultural economicsANZSRC::4102 Ecological applicationsANZSRC::4104 Environmental managementhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Attribution