Assessing land-use impacts on natural resources

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1998 · Environmental Management

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s002679900097· OSTI ID:576874

Dale, V H; King, A W; Mann, L K; Washington-Allen, R A; McCord, R A ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

Much information is available on changes that occur in natural resources from both spatially-explicit data on environmental conditions and models of the interactions of these conditions and resources with human activities. The strategy for assessing land-use impacts on natural resources developed in this paper provides a framework for using relevant data and models to address questions of how management practices can promote both use and protection of resources. This assessment strategy integrates spatially explicit environmental data using geographic information systems (GIS) with computer models that simulate changes in land cover in response to land-use impacts. The computer models also simulate susceptibility of species to changes in habitat suitability and landscape patterns. The approach is applied to management of limestone barrens on the Oak Ridge Reservation in East Tennessee. Potential lime-stone barrens habitats are identified by overlaying appropriate sails, geology, slope, and land-use/land-cover conditions. Their validity is tested against known sites containing rare species that occur in these habitats. The location of habitats at risk in the aftermath of human activities is determined by using an available area model that identifies the size and proximity of sites that particular types of species can no longer use as habitat. The resulting risk map can be used in land management planning. The approach uses readily available in situ and remotely sensed data and is applicable to a wide range of locations and land-use scenarios. This approach can be refined based on needs identified by land managers and on the sensitivity of the results to the resolution of available resource information.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-96OR22464
• OSTI ID: 576874
• Journal Information: Environmental Management, Journal Name: Environmental Management Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 22; ISSN EMNGDC; ISSN 0364-152X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
LAND USE
NATURE RESERVES
OAK RIDGE RESERVATION
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT