GIS-BASEDGIS-BASED ASSESSMENTASSESSMENT OFOF THETHE MAINMAIN ENVIRONMENTALENVIRONMENTAL ISSUESISSUES ININ THETHE “MUNŢII“MUNŢII MARAMUREŞULUI”MARAMUREŞULUI” NATURALNATURAL PARKPARK
Mihaela Năstase, Gheorghe Kucsicsa, Ines Grigorescu • ConceptualConceptual frameworkframework • GISGIS basedbased assessmentassessment inin thethe northernnorthern partpart ofof ““MMunţiiunţii Maramureşului”Maramureşului” NaturalNatural ParkPark.. CaseCase study:study: - Settlements expansion - Deforestation • ConclusionsConclusions ConceptualConceptual frameworkframework
• Environmental protection in Romania is a key issue due to its rich and unique natural assets as an expression of a complex combination between geodiversity and biodiversity.
• The European Sustainable Development Strategy - an information database that provides detailed relevant harmonized spatial information for different policy areas.
• The NATURE-GIS Project - bringing together stakeholders (users and experts in IT and nature conservation) to tackle the issue of geographic information (GIS) in protected areas.
• INSPIRE (INfrastructure for SPatial InfoRmation in Europe) Directive to support and share environmental spatial information across Europe assisting policy-making across boundaries. European-level initiatives
• HABITALP Project - monitors in a standardized way long term environmental changes in these habitats in 11 protected areas from 5 alpine countries, performed with the help of colour infrared (CIR) aerial photographs. Special focus was given to the identifcation and long term survey (monitoring) of NATURA 2000 sites. • Project ALPENCOM (ALP ENvironmental COMmunication) developed a global information and communication exchange system for sustainable management of natural resources and public relation for Alpine networks of protected areas (2005-2008).
Regional level initiatives
• Danube Regional Project (DRP) Integrated Land Use Assessment and Inventory of Protected Areas, aiming to ensure the completion of the Inventory and its presentation in a map consisting of important “water-related” national protected areas
National level initiatives
• Protected Areas Geographic Information System (PAGIS) Project - fully integrated GIS within the National Estuarine Research Reserves and the National Marine Sanctuaries for creating a nationwide GIS network among these protected areas (Killpack et al., 2002).
Protected areas level initiatives
• The GIS-based assessment must be undertaken through the provisions of each protected area management plan. In Romania, because of a legal vacuum, therefore, it’s diffcult to apply the requirements in this respect. ““MUNTIIMUNTII MARAMURESULUI”MARAMURESULUI” NATURALNATURAL PARKPARK
• Location: North of the Eastern Carpathians along the border with Ukraine • IUCN category V, Surface: 133,354 ha – the biggest park / SCI • Purpose: – natural landscape protection – biodiversity preservation – sustainable forestry – preservation of local traditions – encourage tourism on the basis of these values GIS-basedGIS-based assessmentassessment ofof thethe mainmain environmentalenvironmental issuesissues inin “Munţii“Munţii Maramureşului”Maramureşului” NaturalNatural ParkPark
• Mountain areas are facing radical changes mainly related to global environmental change and regional and local socio-economic transformations determining new and diverse environment-related problems.
• Information and spatial analysis are two main necessities especially when dealing with environmental issues in protected areas whose dynamics and impact are to be assessed and monitored.
• The main environmental stressors of the “Munţii Maramureşului” Natural Park – settlements expansion – deforestation – over-grazing – mining activities – tourist activities • When evaluating fundamental environment issues, this instrument of informatics is offering the possibility of resolving the most simple and the most complex thematics.
• GIS technology incorporates both simple operations, by introducing and transforming the data in order to visualize it, as well as complex operations for analysis and modeling.
• Through analysis and remodeling spatio-temporal dynamics studies can be conducted (including predictions) regarding the use and covering of f elds, terrain degradation, climatic changes etc. this multitude of solutions is essential in evaluation, conservation, development, monitoring strategies etc. of the natural protected area. One example of a schematic representation of the conceptual model. ResultsResults andand discussiondiscussion
• Assessing environmental issues based on a GIS analysis, by conducting spatio-temporal interrogation - so far, the MMNP Administration has made the GIS turistic map of Valea Vaserului, which means only 30% of the entire Park area.
• The study case for the GIS-based assessment is the northern half of MMNP, which is an area characterized by strong fragmentation of the forest vegetation, having an extended human habitat on the slopes of the main valleys at relatively high altitudes.
• In view of this, two maps were drawn out: - settlements' expansion (1910-2008) - areas affected by deforestation during the transition period (after 1990) Settlements’Settlements’ expansionexpansion (1910(1910 –– 2008)2008)
• 8 small towns • 2 cities • situated in the Vişeu River valley and on the main tributary valleys – totalling 89.294 inhabitants (2007).
• exclusively rural character • compact structure around the main access ways • houses heavily dispersed on the slopes forming many villages that go up to 700-800 m in altitude, mainly focused on grazing and agricultural activities.
• In the beginning of the 20th century settlements were nuclei especially in the depression areas formed at the confuence of main bodies of water, displaying a tendency of expanding to accessible terrains that have suffered deforestations, where they would form villages.
• In time, they have evolved especially along the rivers Ruscova and Frumuşeaua, as well as on the secondary valleys of Ruscova River to the south of Repedea and Poienile de sub Munte settlements Settlements’ expansion in the northern part of “Munţii Maramureşului” Natural Park (1910 - 2008 )
A = A2 - A1 Compared to the occupied surface in 1990 (cca. 15 skm), at present, settlements in the north of the MMNP are extended on almost 25 skm, that is 10 skm more. ResultsResults ofof SettlementsSettlements expansionexpansion
– land use/land cover changes: expansion of cultivated land and grassland, restrict forests etc.
– uncontrolled waste management
– pollution – lack/defcient environmental facilities
– aesthetic impact – loss of traditional architecture Deforestation in northern part of “Munţii Maramureşului” Natural Park (1990 - 2008 )
• Forests in “Muntii Maramureşului” Natural Park: - are the main land use category - cover a surface of about 86,400 ha, making up almost 65% of the park’s surface - are mainly made of coniferous wood and of a blend of pine wood and broad-leaved trees displayed in the form of layers
• At present, in the northern half of “Munţii Maramureşului” Natural Park, forests make up around 45,000 ha. However, in 1990, the surface of forests was around 46,500 ha, that is 1,500 ha more - the difference is related especially to industrial exploitation (mainly pine wood which is destined for the internal and external market). • The main areas suffering from deforestation are located in the vicinity of settlements
• A potential threat for the forest could be the overbid of the economic function to the detriment of the protection functions.
• The most affected are the forests that were given back to the former owners (specially after 1990 – because of the retrocession lows), in the case of the individuals, as well as compossessorates and territorial administrative units.
• Increased exploitation because of the lack of fnancial compensations for the forests with biodiversity protection role and legislative institutional incapacity. A = A1 – A2 ResultsResults ofof DeforestationDeforestation
– land degradation – biodiversity loss Tetrao urogallus, Aquila pomarina, Picoides tridactylus, Lynx lynx, Felis sylvestris etc. – habitats’ fragmentation
– forests’ fragmentation and shifting forest limit altitudes – biological pollution (sawdust) etc. - ex: number decreasing of fsh species (Hucho hucho)
ConclusionsConclusions
• Developing an integrated and complex Geographical Informational System (GIS) for the MMNP is an imperative stroke in assessing its environmental status, guaranteeing further analysis, geoprocessing, mapping and upgrade for all environmental components.
• An effcient GIS-based assessment should not be limited just to a collection of layers; it should offer an interactive, integrated and complete database and a useful tool easy to integrate to other related tools.
• The GIS complex approach of the environmental-related issues would lead to the successful selection and implementation of the best sustainable management measures for the area under discussion.
• Therefore, the present study stands for a preliminary assessment of the protected area and for the development of a comprehensive spatial database, a useful tool for improving decision making and implementation of the “Munţii Maramureşului” Natural Park Management Plan ThankThank you!you!