Development Environmental Impact Assessment in Bashgol Protected Area Using Landscape Degradation Model

Today, most of protected areas in the country require serious monitoring and protection measures due to reduction of quality. Degradation model with quantifying the effects of human activities can be used in monitoring and improving the situation in these areas. To implement this model in Bashgol protected area, the sub watersheds were selected in the area as the impact units. Using maps, field observations and experts’ opinions, 25 destruction factors in the whole area were identified and their intensities were determined, also ecological vulnerability of the area was calculated with GIS tools using geological, physiographic, climatic, vegetation, habitat and other maps (16 factors) and was classified in terms of intensity. After calculating the physiological density, destruction coefficients were calculated in each unit and were classified based on fuzzy theory into 3 categories and 6 classes. The results showed that 8465/51 hectares (34/7%), 12013/44 hectares (49.23%) and 3920 hectares of area (16/07%) are located on the 2nd class prone to development , the 3nd class (need to rehabilitation) and the 5nd class (need to conservation), respectively in terms of the quality of the land. Generally, according to local conditions, without the further development, the objectives of area management must go toward the restoration and protection measures.