Integration assessment of the protected areas using landscape ecological approach (Case Study: Kolah Ghazy National Park and Wildlife Refuge)

Landscape fragmentation, due to the roads construction, urban infrastructure development and other land uses, seems to be in result of the loss of habitat in protected areas. Indeed, Landscape fragmentation causes a huge negative impact on wildlife, including important species. In result, the monitoring and management of protected areas, through the landscape ecology and quantification of fragmentation, will be so applicable. This research aims to quantify the landscape fragmentation in Kolah Ghazy national Park and wildlife refuge. To achieve this purpose, RS and GIS techniques were used to extract land uses in studied area and then landscape fragmentation was quantified using landscape metrics (CA, CAP, TE, MSI, NP, MPS and MNN) in class level. The results cleared that rich rangeland patches have been more integrated, but the incompatible land uses, such as mining, agriculture and urban infrastructure development make these patches to be more far away from each other, so, reduction of incompatible land uses is recommended in the region.