Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Oshtrankooh Protected Area Using Degradation Model

Environmental degradation model is one of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) methods in which ecological effects of human activities on his surrounding nature can be evaluated and quantified. In this study, we used a degradation model to assess the impact of possible development on Oshtrankooh protected area. To achieve this goal, at first the study area was divided into five hundred fifty four, 225 ha impact units (cells) (3×3 cm on the 1:50,000 topographic maps). The ecological vulnerability for each cell was computed and classified using maps of slope, aspect, elevation, climate, and bed rock sensitivity to erosion and earthquake, as well as soil and habitat sensitivity. Then, as much as 11 degradation factors were detected in the study area, and their sensivity was also measured using topographic maps, field observations, expert knowledge and written document. A demographic survey was also carried out to establish population patterns in each cell. Finally, using degradation tables, degradation coefficients for each cell was calculated on spreadsheet. These degradation coefficient values were classified based on fuzzy model to 6 classes and 3 categories. All the cells were then ranked according to the rate of degradation coefficient. The study area was divided into three zones namely: prone to further development (94.58 %), need to be rehabilitated (5.06 %) and critically impacted areas with an absolute need for conservation measures (0.36 %).