Environmental Impact Assessment of Development in Torghabeh-Shandiz Township Using Degradation Model

Land degradation modeling is one of the environmental impact assessment methods that quantitatively represents the effects of human activities. The purpose of applying this model is to identify the destruction factors and susceptibility degree in ecosystems in order to prevent further destruction by other projects and to show the feasibility of future development to decision markers. The study area was firstly partitioned into 94 cells (1600 ha) and then 14 degradation factors along with their intensity were identified using land use map, field observations and expert views. Ecological susceptibility and physiological density were then determined and all cells were classified into four categories as recommended for development, required for reconstruction, required for protection and cells with no development potential based on fuzzy theory. The results show that 22 cells (23.40% of the total area) out of 94 cells require reconstruction, 37 cells (39.36% of total area) have no development potential, and 35 cells (37.22% of total area) are recommended for development.  The effects of destructive activities in this region (that is mainly due to the detrimental effects of tourism activities) were evident, so that the destructive activities such as change in land use and land cover, on the one hand, and waste and rivers pollution, on the other hand, were found as the main causes of destruction in the region. Out of 94 cells, 21 cells and 16 cells had no development potential due to faults and due to being in Binalood protected area respectively. 35 cells are recommended for development in first to third priorities; these cells are in low physiological density area. 22 cells, due to high physiological density and severity of the destructive agents, have a high degradation coefficient and need to be reconstructed, and therefore should be excluded from any future development.