Measurement ecological power for growth and physical development of city by IHWP logic (case study: city of Sabzevar)

Natural sub-structure of rural and urban settlements has variety features which are identified by the creation of opportunities and constraints for development. Thus, measurement of ecological powers for the achievement to the territory potentials and capabilities is necessity in order to growth and physical development of city. However, it is clear to everyone that the physical development of cities has also a lot of implications to the destruction of favorable agricultural lands and the expansion of vulnerable zones like flood areas, improper slope impact ecological balances and urban sustainability. Considering these in mind, the way of utilization of rational and systematic methods is of great importance for planning and management and efficient use of resources, particularly natural resources.
Although natural and of course man-made environment has created restrictions on development of human societies. But by considering results of interactions on the existing development of the possibilities and limitations, directions of physical development, population and habitat sphere of influence is determined. Synoptic and quantitative analysis of environmental characteristics can be one of sources and detection methods of physical development of the city direction and identify threats and vulerable zones that have a great impact on different aspects of future life of the city. The purpose of this study is measurement ecological power of urban areas for future growth and physical development of cities by systematic and reasonable method. So in this study city of Sabzevar has been selected for review and measurement by Inversion Hierarchical Weight Process (IHWP) logic in two models has been identified environmental vulnerability and land capability survey.
In the end with respect to outputs of two models and comparison between presented by GIS, have been identified spatial obstacles and opportunities for sustainable physical development in urban area of Sabzevar. Research results indicate that east region of city limits with respect to vulnerability measurement and land capability survey present the most optimal opportunities for physical development. However, south region of city despite its land capability has not raised development opportunities due to environmental vulnerability.