Scholarly record
USING RIAM AND GIS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (A CASE STUDY ON A NATURAL PROTECTED AREA IN ROMANIA)
Abstract
Environmental impact assessment is a complex scientific process that often exceeds procedural and legislative aspects. The data and information used in the EIA derive from various sources, so they must be integrated using an appropriate methodology. The established assessment methods are Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) and Geographic Information System (GIS), each allowing the integration of observations, data, and environmental information. The present study aims to apply RIAM and GIS to the impact assessment on the natural protected area in Romania (ROSCI0227 (Sighi?oara - Tarnava Mare, part of the European Ecological Network NATURA 2000). This area has large geodiversity and biodiversity represented by eighteen natural habitats (e.g., wood pastures, shrubs, and old forests) and over thirty-six threatened species of flora and fauna (e.g., amphibians, bats, birds, and mammals). Although it has the status of conservation of flora, fauna species, and habitats, the analyzed natural area is subject to evident anthropogenic pressures and threats. The presence of old human settlements, transport infrastructure networks, and traditional rural and urban industrial activities are factors for generating and amplifying anthropogenic impacts on the environment and protected biodiversity. The integrated evaluation methodology allows for obtaining matrixes based on a mix of quantitative and qualitative geographical and ecological data. The interpolation action of these scores (based on the Inverse Distance Interpolated Method) results in a thematic map of impacts. This methodology has the advantage of rapid implementation and transparency, even if the experts- opinions prevail in the approach and interpretation of environmental impacts.
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References9
European Commission, Nature, and Biodiversity, Natura 2000 Network, https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000.
Ministry of the Environment, NATURA 2000 Standard Form, ROSCI0227 Sighisoara-Tarnava Mare, Bucure?ti, Romania, 2011, 6 p, in Romanian.
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