Iranian J Env Health Sci Eng, 2004,Iranian Vol.1, No J Env .2, pp.81-90 Health Sci Eng, 2004, Vol.1, No.2, pp.81-90

Ecological Capability Evaluation of Rural Development by Means of GIS

*J Nouri 1, R Sharifipour 2

1Dept. of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Center for Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran Iran 2Dept. of Environmental Management, Graduate School of the Environment, Science and Research Campus, Islamic Azad University, Iran

ABSTRACT

Execution of development and creation of appropriate points for rural development without considering ecological capability will result in the appearance of several environmental, economic and social problems. This research is done in an analysis approach frame of a system with the aim of choosing the most suitable location for rural development in Abadeh with an area of 22,000 km2. in 2002 by applying geographic information system (GIS) precious tools. Based on the above objective, ecological resources of concerned area were recognized and surveyed. The obtained data changed into digital figures and together with the other descriptive data were shifted to Arc/Info and Arcview systems for the purpose of creation of data base. Based on specific ecological models of Iran and special conditions of the area and by using structured query language (SQL) in Arcview, the ecological capability of concerned area for rural development was determined. By considering current natural limitations, such as limited severe earthquake danger in central areas, limitation of flood danger in some of the central and western areas, development of evaporating deposits and salt domes in east and precipitation under 500mm in the studied area, no suitable place for the first grade rural development was found. However, it showed capability for second-grade rural development aspect. This area includes 3.8% of total area of the studied place. For improving present management in the studied region, it is recommended that in future development of the region, offered appropriated points while emphasizing on the land having low production capability to be considered.

Keywords: Environment capability evaluation, Geographical Information System, Ecological model, Abadeh, System analysis approach.

INTRODUCTION has a reaction toward this area (exposed to earthquake or flood). So before the beginning When a rural or a residential area is formed into of development, it is better to select the suitable the two interactions, first, the formed area developing site in terms of ecological capability causes to generate a reaction toward environ- in order to prevent reduction of natural re- ment (changing the natural waterway may be sources, which may happen for the reason of caused the erosion of the soil or soil becomes illogical usage. The objective of this research is polluted by wastewater), second; environment the prevention of excessive reduction of natural

*Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected], resources that was occurred due to improper Tel: +98 21 44804162, Fax: +98 21 44804160, use of the environment. For instance, based on performed studies by FAO, it is estimated that

81 J Nouri and R Sharifipour: Ecological capability…

from 1800 million Hectares cultivation land, opment with the aim of optimization manage- only 8% is under application for agricultural ment of the land. purposes in developing countries, whereas 92% is used for other applications (Alexandratos, MATERIALS AND METHODS 1995). Excessive reduction of natural resources, industrial and economical development together The surface area of studied area is about 22,000 with population growth, with the possibility for km2 that is located in central and south part of doubling by the year 2050 (UNFPA, 1992), is the reasons for critical situation and destruction Iran (Fig. 1). This area is limited in 31°, 40’ of the earth. By population growth and industri- (north) to 30°, 45’ (south) of latitude and 51°, alization of the society that is imbalanced with 50’ (west) to 54°, 5’ (east) longitude. The main limited resources of the environment, the or- high place to be mentioned is Sephid Mountain ganic localization of the centers people settle- with the height of 3333 m. This area, due to vi- ment or activities shall not respond to material cinity to Shiraz,Yazd and Esfahan and having and spiritual requirements of the human. Even other capabilities such as water supply potential economical localization shall unsteadily de- from aquifers, rivers and plains have agricul- crease environmental resources. In this regard, tural capabilities for settlement of people. Thus, land use planning is a kind of long-term plan- it should be cleared that where such develop- ning that considers the land as a determined ment is performed, the natural resources should factor in supplying development goals. Land be preserved carefully. use planning based on regulations with perma- In the present research, for achieving general nent and suitable return view, according to the goals of the plan, by studying and assessment qualitative and quantitative capabilities and tal- of the elements and common techniques of ents for different use of human from the land, planning and management, GIS tools and plan- shall render type of utilization. Thus waste of ning and management combination model natural resources and ruining of the environ- (Grant, 1998) were selected for ecological ment will be stopped. In ecological evaluation, evaluation. Process for evaluation, determina- GIS is quickly becoming data management tion and selection of appropriate rural develop- standard in planning the use of land and natural ment points in concerned area included the resources. Virtually all environmental issues following steps presented in Fig. 2. In the pre- involve map–based data, and real world prob- sent research only those resources applied in lems typically extend over relatively large ar- modeling were studied (Table 1): eas. GIS links observations and measurements Physical resources to specific locations and specifies the relation- Landform (slopes, elevation and aspect) ships between data points. GIS can pull to- Geology (fault and earthquake probability) gether very different data types and allows Water resources(aquifers and flood probability) quantitative analysis at the scale of landscapes Hydrogeology or entire region. For example, information on Soil (soil type and erosion) soils, hydrology and vegetation might be com- Climate(climatologically division by Demartin) bined in analysis of wildlife strategy for resto- ration of degraded ecosystems. Nowadays, GIS Biological Resources has become an indispensable tool for land and Vegetation (type and density) resource managers (Swanson, 2003). Wildlife (zoning of protected area) This research is performed at Abadeh area in Slope, aspect and elevation maps were used Fars Province of Iran in 2002 for evaluation from topographic maps of Iran Surveying Or- purpose of ecological capability of rural devel- ganization. Hydrology and water resources

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were obtained from Ministry of Power. The ba- Analysis and data classifications sis for vegetation map was obtained from Analysis process and data classifications for Planning and Management Organization; soil achieving environmental units at studied area is map was obtained from Water and Soil Re- obtained by overlaying prepared maps with search Institute and the information about the each other and recognition was performed with protected area in Abadeh was obtained from GIS and final environment maps were com- Department of the Environment in Fars Prov- pleted based on other unstable resources such ince. Also, for comparing utilization capability as hydrology. for urban development and land use at the end Suitable ecological model for evaluation of ca- of the work, present land use map was provided pability of studied area for rural development in by Iran Surveying Organization, Ministry of Iranian special ecological models frame Housing and Urban Development. Plan map of (Makhdom, 1999) was prepared in two-degree Abadeh region and public census maps were value and based on special conditions of con- provided from Iranian Statistics Center (popu- cerned region and existing data (Table 2). They lation points and road networks) and accuracy were then introduced to Arcview and every en- of obtained maps was estimated with field su- vironmental unit was compared with special pervision and similar to map scale were pre- model and capability points for rural develop- pared by means of GIS. ment were obtained.

Fig. 1: The position of Abadeh in Fars Province and the map of Iran

83 J Nouri and R Sharifipour: Ecological capability…

Fig. 2: Rural development capability evaluation structure of the studied region, using information layers

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Table 1: Recognized resources for evaluation of rural development capability

Resources Physical resources Biological resources -Geographical location of the region -Vegetation -Land form Type and density vegetation Slope, aspect and elevation -Wildlife -Hydrogeology Zoning of protected areas -Soil Soil type Erosion capability -Climate -Earthquake probability, fault -Floor probability

Table 2: Ecological model of rural development

Parameter Slope Elevation Flood Aspect Hydrogeology Earthquake Soil (%) (m) Alluvium of down - 5AW Zoning of very Zoning of East or South stream or field 5A Degree 1 0 -15 400 -1300 low and low very low and or Plane sediment or carbonate danger low danger maker Alluvium of down- 3A,5A Zoning of Zoning of very stream or field 3T,4T very low, low Degree 2 0 -15 1300 - 2500 All of aspects low, low and sediment or carbonate and middle middle danger maker danger A: Limitation of soil for salty and alkalization W: Limitation of soil for drainage, being in high degree of the water subterranean and submergible T: Limitation of soil for slope and erosion 3: Suitable for irrigation 4: Suitable for irrigation in special condition 5: It isn’t proper for irrigation Note: At this area 82% of the surveys of whole pasture have a deprived and very deprived compression condition, so the parameter of vegetation was not limitation factor for development and was not mentioned in the model.

RESULTS However, this area shows capability for second grade rural development. Slope is one of the By using topographic map of concerned area in observed parameters in estimation of appropri- Arcview in this relation, digital elevation model ate rural development points. Slopes between 0- was obtained (Fig. 3) and slope (Fig. 4), aspect 15% are suitable that includes 87% of the area. (Fig. 5) and elevation (Fig. 6) were prepared in Also the height of 400-2500m is recognized concerned categorizes for overlaying. Specific suitable for such development that covers 77% ecological model for rural development were of the concerned area. The climate of the region adopted and using Structured Query Language is warm and dry on the southwest part (13%) (SQL), the capability of each environmental and is not suitable for development. Based on unit were evaluated and mapped (Fig. 7). In the hydro-geological maps, the alluviums of down studied area, considering some natural limita- streams and field sediments and Carbonate tions such as rainfall under 500 mm, first grade makers are suitable showing good and average rural development capability was not observed. water supply capability with good to average

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quality that covers 80% of the area. Also sea- Bagh with an area of about 15%, were not sonal and permanent rivers such as Rahimi, found appropriate for rural development points. Izadkhast, Abadeh, Sefid, Oghlid, Bovanat and From the point of view of vegetation in the Sivand rivers are the suitable parameters in ob- studied area, most of the plants are pastures served models. Zoning with average to high with low and weak accumulation that make no danger of earthquake and flood that cover 49% limitation for rural development. Finally at and 31%, respectively, of the concerned area studied region, an area of 3.8% from total area together with protected area of Basiran and is recognized for second grade rural develop- hunting protected area of Tot Siah and Dareh ment.

Fig. 3: Digital Elevation Model of the studied region

Fig. 4: Slope map in the studied region

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Fig. 5: Geographical aspect map in the studied region

Fig .6: Elevation map in the studied region

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Fig. 7: Appropriate rural development points in the studied region

Fig. 8: Land use in the studied region

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DISCUSSION ha. That includes only 1.32% of total area of the region. The considerable point about these Rural development capability map was com- lands is placement of urban areas on the lands pared with present land use map (Fig. 8). In re- which are suitable for agricultural purposes. search area all land use were classified into This character can be observed in the main cit- three groups: ies. Moreover, about 47% of Abadeh residential Land use with production return areas are placed around the faults with high and This group consists of the lands including extreme capability for earthquake. It is neces- unlimited or slight limited applications in pro- sary to consider required arrangements for duction (agriculture) that is actually utilized or strengthening against earthquake. In the ob- has potential of utilization capability. By exe- tained development map (Fig. 7), because of cution of a low-expenses civil operation we can existing natural limitations in studied area such get the result and utilize it. Based on production as high earthquake potential in central areas, capability, priorities are: agriculture, dry farm- flood danger in part of central and western ing and average pastures. Total allocated land zones, evaporation sediments and salty domes for this purpose is 42% of which about 23% is development in east and slope above 30% in for average pasture. On the other word, from central and western areas, no appropriate point total land of concerned region about 20% has for first grade rural development is obtained. actual potential for economical and agricultural But the concerned area is well capable for sec- applications and the remaining part is suitable ond grade rural development which covers for civil operations with the aim of return in- 3.8% of total area. So near to 89% of urban and crease. more than 635 of inhabitations settled in the Land use without return 2500-3000 elevation range and 17.3% of resi- Since a wide part of this region is placed in dential area are in more than 30% slope. warm and dry climate and considering the natu- Since one of the duties of management of the ral limitations, parts of this land has no produc- region is directing method and manner of the tion potential or lacking from agricultural val- use of lands based on capability estimation, it is ues or face with severe limitations in this re- recommended that in future development of the gard. These lands include regions such as high region, offered appropriate points with empha- lands, cultivated lands, poor pastures, or Kafter sizing on the land having low production capa- Lake. The main feature of these lands is lacking bility, to be considered. of plants covering or poor plants covering. This situation in high regions is due to high slope, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS height, and unsuitable soil conditions and in uncultivated lands they are due to salty condi- The authors would like to express their thanks tions and lack of access to surface and under- to the Mahab Consultant Engineers Company ground water resources. Also Kafter Lake in for providing basic information and financial southwest of concerned region is also lacking supports. production return. Total area of this group of lands is about 56.5% of total studied area. From REFERENCES that 34% was related to poor pasture area and 10% to high-level areas. Alexandratos N (1995). Agriculture: Towards Residential land use and roads 2010, FAO. Rome and John Wiley, ChiCh- Total area allocated for residential purpose and ester. constructed connecting network is about 2900 Armitage D (1995). An integrative methodo- logical framework for sustainable environ-

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ment planning and management. Environ Swanson, E (2003). Geographic information Manage, 19(4): 479-96, system (GIS) information enhanced land use Demers M N (1997). Eundamental of geo- planning, Michigan Center for Geographic graphic information system, New Mexico Information Department of Information State University. 1st. Ed. Tecnology. Grant W E (1998). Ecology and natural UNFPA (1992). The state of world population resource management: reflection from a UNFPA/United Nations Population Fund, system perspective management. Ecological New York .46. Modelling, 108: 67-76. Mahab Consultant Engineers (2002). Compre- Makhdoum M F (1999). Fundamental of land hensive development plan, north of Fars use Planning, Tehran University Publication. province, Abadeh region.

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