Environment146 and Development Journal. Vol 1. No1. Spring and Summer 2010
Multi criteria analysis as an appropriate method for considering the value of ecosystem services in environmental assessment process
*Naghmeh Mobarghei
Assistant Professor Environmental science Research Institute University of shahid Beheshti, Iran
(Received: July., 2009; Accepted: Jan., 2010)
Abstract In the process of environmental evaluation or environmental impact assessment, (EIA) the role of human judgment is effective in determination the impacts of development project on environmental quality. In this regard, the cost–benefit analysis is utilized in order to accept or reject the projects. Environmental cost estimation of projects, however, is not very simple and not accurate. Most of the times, in the evaluation process, costs of ecosystem services degradation are not included and it causes inappropriate decision making. This follows a decline in environmental quality. In the other hand, including ecosystem services values in environmental project evaluation makes decision maker able to offer better analysis. Multi Criteria Analysis is an appropriate tool according to their capability in analyzing the non- congruent data. In this paper in addition to reviewing the basic concepts of ecosystem services and their valuation, the benefits of using multi-criteria analysis in the environmental impact assessment process have been introduced. For this purpose, a frame work has been used to demonstrate and analyze the role of ecosystem services valuation in the environmental impact assessment process.
Key words Ecosystem services, Ecosystem services valuation, Multi criteria analysis, Environmental assessment
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected] Environment and Development Journal. Vol 1. No1. Spring and Summer 2010 147
Investigation of Ecological Economic Models in Biodiversity Conservation
*Tooba Abedi
Member of Educational Board, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research, Iran
(Received: Aug., 2009; Accepted: Jan., 2010)
Abstract Human is depending on nature and ecosystems at all times. Economical values of environmental services such as biodiversity were not measured in the past. Environmental problems occurred gradually and ecological economic concept has been developed. The concept indicates methods for assessing economical value of ecosystems. In this study we investigated general ecological economic models in biodiversity conservation. The models will be reviewed here can be divided into four types: cost-effectiveness (CE) models, renewable resource extraction (RR) models, macroeconomic growth (MG) models with natural resources, and general equilibrium (GE) models with natural resource externalities. The models are mediocre between economical and ecological models, but they aren’t as complex as the later models. We assess the extent to which they integrate relevant ecological theories and indicators of biodiversity.
Keywords Ecological economy, Biodiversity, Model, Ecosystem.
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected] 148 Environment and Development Journal. Vol 1. No1. Spring and Summer 2010
Development of urban green space based on the principles of land use planning
1*Vahed Kiyani, 2Mohammad Reza Khalilnejad
1 MSc. Student of Environment Engineering, University of Tehran & Member of Iranian Association for Environmental Assessment, Iran 2 Academic Staff, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Birjand, Iran
(Received: Oct., 2009; Accepted: Jan., 2010)
Abstract Urban green spaces with social and ecological efficiency are the most important effect of green space in cities, ecological functions, environmental or efficiency of their cities to create favorable living and destructive spread of industry and transportation fights. The main effects of green space in cities, moderate temperature, relative humidity increases, softness and absorption of dust and air to produce oxygen. Because of this green space per city as the city is considered the lungs breathing. Due to the effects of vital, urban green space should be of appropriate quality and quantity of physical volume of the city (roads and buildings) and community needs (leisure time and health needs) to be financed, in order to enable as green space, environmental efficiency Pension to be. Therefore, development of urban green space should remain stable for the cognitive features of climate in terms of location and views of indigenous people that's why aim of this paper reviews the development of urban green space based on the principles of land use planning. Collect data by distributing questionnaires among the citizens of Birjand which sampling and questions that the method of the situation (controlled) performed the questions with regard to ecological potential region and the social values they project that the number of 20 questions x2 test was accepted by both. The study population is the city of Birjand that sampling of citizens took the number of 1000 persons. The results of this study showed that most citizens of the city of Birjand priority recreation use of urban parks, but factors such as lack of green plant species diversity and lack of uniformity in the city following the dissatisfaction of citizens has therefore recommended for the development of urban green space of principles of land use planning is used to develop the environmental efficiency of urban green space is pension.
Key words Urban green space, Diversity of, Development, Land use planning, People's participation.
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected] Environment and Development Journal. Vol 1. No1. Spring and Summer 2010 149 Social Impact Assessment of Gabrik Dam Construction Relocation and Capacity Development of local Community
1*Mahnaz Mirnorouzi, 2Hamid Farahani Rad, 3Reza Khalili
1 Environmental expert of Lar Engineering Consultant Co, Iran 2 Social development and environmental Planning, Sustainability Impact Assessment Consultant, Iran 3 Environmental Department Management of Lar Engineering Consultant Co, Iran
(Received: Sep., 2009; Accepted: Jan., 2010)
Abstract In the process of dam construction, relocation of the communities which locate in the reservoir of the projected dams, is one of the significant impacts. Relocation usually results to the deterioration of replaced population life. It includes economic, social, and cultural trauma. In this paper, resettlement of Parkoh rural population and its social impacts are investigated. Parkoh rural complex is in Hormozgan province, south of Iran. People are very poor and traditional, especially older people. They have a strong spatial dependency to the area. These traits can exacerbate social impacts of resettlement. To minimize and avoid the adverse impacts, on the one hand, three sites were examined and on the other hand, interviews with government offices were carried out. All stakeholders agreed on new site. To achieve a better situation for people, resettlement is combined with capacity development so as occupation, income, social prestige …can be improved significantly.
Key words Social impacts assessment, Resettlement, Capacity development.
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected] 150 Environment and Development Journal. Vol 1. No1. Spring and Summer 2010
The Role of Overpass and Underpass in the Mitigation of Habitat Fragmentation )Case Study: Persian Leopard in Golestan National Park)
1*Behnaz Erfanian, 2Abdolrassoul S. Mahiny, 3Seyed Hamed Mirkarimi, 4Hamid Reza Rezaei
1 M.Sc. student of Department of Environment Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. 2 Associate Professor, Department of Environment Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. 3Assistant Professor, Department of Environment Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.
(Received: Oct., 2009 ; Accepted: Jan., 2010)
Abstract Habitat fragmentation and degradation in natural areas is a major threat for biodiversity conservation throughout the world. The threat has negative effects considerably on biological environment particularly wildlife. Most of the recent studies about natural ecosystem show that road structure intensifies threat factors for wildlife, causes habitat fragmentation, degradation and environmental pollutions. Many ecologists believe that use of corridors (underpass or overpass) is the most effective approach to prevent these threats and problems. The purpose of this paper is to present a new framework for site selection of highway underpass or overpass in Golestan National Park. The Park is the most important biosphere reserves in Iran. A highway crossing the Park is threatening wildlife. We chose Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) of the animals crossing the highway because of its high mortality. Persian leopard is as endangered species in the IUCN Red List. The goal of this research is to determine the shortest and the safest route for leopard crossing through suggested underpass and overpass. Habitat suitability map will be provided by ecological niche factor analysis (ENFA). Then we will determine the shortest path between the start and the end point by using least-cost path analysis. The results of this research will be used to locate the underpasses or overpasses. We present the list of factors included in the ENFA process and data analysis, as a framework of corridor site selection in this research study.
Key words ENFA, Golestan National Park, Persian leopard, Corridor, Least-cost path analysis, ArcGIS.
*Corresponding author: E-mail address: [email protected] Environment and Development Journal. Vol 1. No1. Spring and Summer 2010 151 Application of Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) in Ecological Capacity Assessment For Rural-Urban Development: Seidon Case
1*Mahnaz Kashisaz, 2Masoud Monavvari 3Mehran Afkhami, 4Abdolreza Carbass
1 M.S. in Environmental science. Ahwaz Islamic Azad University, Iran 2 Environmental Associate Professor. Tehran Islamic Azad University, Iran 3 Environmental Associate Professor. Ahwaz Islamic Azad University, Iran 4 Environmental Associate Professor. Tehran Islamic Azad University, Iran
(Received: May., 2009; Accepted: Dec., 2009)
Abstract Population Expansion of large rural centers can turn them into new cities. This change may lead to unwilling environmental impacts. Seidon area locates in southern province of Khoozestan. Regarding Seidon likely future development, it requires to make tradeoff between conservation and development so as to prevent environmental adverse impacts. To meet this aim, ecological capacity assessment has been utilized to determine suitable arenas for development activities. Analytical Hierarchical Process technique was used. First, six ecological data strata, including slope, direction, altitude, vegetation, soil, geology were prepared. These data were used through Arc GIS. On the other hand, other data were gathered through expert views. Based on the new data, primary and normal matrices were made. Finally, by using Idrisi software, space of each arena was computed. 12.5% of the Seidon area has first priority of ecological capacity for rural and urban development. 21.3% of the space of area has second priority of ecological capacity for rural and urban development. The rest of the area lacks ecological capacity for rural-urban development.
Key Words Ecological capacity assessment, Rural-urban development, Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP)
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected] 152 Environment and Development Journal. Vol 1. No1. Spring and Summer 2010
Status of Iran in Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) and Environmental Performance Index (EPI) reports in 2005, 2006 and 2008
1*Ahad Sotoudeh, 2Farzam Poorasghar Sangachin
1 Ph.D Student , Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Iran 2 Ph.D Student , Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Iran
(Received: Aug., 2009; Accepted: Jan., 2010)
Abstract The Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) and Environmental Performance Index (EPI) have received increasing attention in recent decades. In this paper we discussed the status of Iran based on these indices. Result shows that the two indices, while similar in some way, are fundamentally different in that EPI applies a proximity to target approach, which indicates if a country is getting closer to some absolute bench mark of sustainability (for the measures we have data for), and the ESI only identifies how a country performs relative to other countries. The above argument is not necessarily intended to prove nor does not imply that Iran’s status among other countries has been descending or ascending. Because of the incomplete and imprecise nature of the data that was used is the ESI and EPI analyses, timely and consistent data reporting to the ESI/EPI centers would be an important step to reflect Iran’s actual status to the international community.
Key Words Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), Environmental Performance Index (EPI), Iran
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected] Environment and Development Journal. Vol 1. No1. Spring and Summer 2010 153
Analytical comparison of economic tools for environmental conservation and proposals for their application in development programs
*Farzam Pour-asghar Sangachin
PhD candidate of Environment, Environment College, Tehran University. Expert of Environment in President Deputy Strategic Planning and Supervision, Iran
(Received: June., 2009; Accepted: Jan., 2010)
Abstract An overview of global environment circumstances signifies non-reversible damages that caused by human activities during recent decades. Negligence of environmental carrying capacity, unwise use of natural resources, greediness of unethically environmental treatment and finally being inattentive to the logic of economic science in policymaking of environmental abuse have led to serious global environmental issues. Furthermore along with the extension of anthropogenic disturbances, it should be more distinctively expressed that economical activities have to carry on with regard to environmental limits. Therefore, utilization of economic market policies, tools, regulations and rules have been attracted for appropriate use of environmental properties in many countries. In this article, history and necessity of economic valuation, application of economic policies and the rules for environmental conservation are studied. Then strengths and weaknesses of the most important environmental policy tools (legal and economic) are assessed. Ultimately some applicative policies are recommended in relation to the national development program of the country.
Key words Environmental economics, Economic tools, Externalities effect.
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected] 154 Environment and Development Journal. Vol 1. No1. Spring and Summer 2010
Landscape ecology or environmental studies (Land Ecology) (European Versus Anglo- Saxon schools of thought)
*Majid F. MAKHDOUM
(Received: Doc., 2009; Accepted: Jan., 2010)
Abstract Environmental studies which were initiated in English speaking countries in 1960's-1980's and generated a school of thought' ever since, are thought to be in par with another school of thought, which was formulated in central Europe, around 2nd world war and later (1980's) was followed by some North Americans, ie. landscape ecology. These schools are reviewed, analyzed, compared and discussed in definitions and principles of land/ landscape in one hand and landscape ecology and environmental studies on the other. Then they are also compared in a) data collection, b) surveying techniques, c) data analysis and integration, d) mapping units and scales, e) land/ landscape evaluation and assessment, and f) planning tasks. Both schools are acting as crisis- solving- oriented science despite their major differences in data integration for mapping units and land evaluation techniques. Slight discrepancies in other areas and similarities are pointed out, particularly where modelling is concerned.
Key words Landscape ecology, Environmental studies, Data integration, Mapping, European, Anglo- Saxon, Land capability evaluation.
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected]