Green Infrastructure Mapping in Almeria Province (Spain) Using Geographical Information Systems and Multi-Criteria Evaluation
Green infrastructure (GI) is increasingly prioritised in landscape policy and planning due to its potential to benefit ecosystems and enhance wildlife conservation. However, due to the uneven distribution of protected areas (PAs) and the fragmentation of habitats more generally, multi-level policy s...
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| author | Álvaro Navas González Richard J. Hewitt Javier Martínez-Vega |
| author_facet | Álvaro Navas González Richard J. Hewitt Javier Martínez-Vega |
| author_sort | Álvaro Navas González |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Green infrastructure (GI) is increasingly prioritised in landscape policy and planning due to its potential to benefit ecosystems and enhance wildlife conservation. However, due to the uneven distribution of protected areas (PAs) and the fragmentation of habitats more generally, multi-level policy strategies are needed to create an integrated GI network bridging national, regional and local scales. In the province of Almeria, southeastern Spain, protected areas are mainly threatened by two land use/land cover changes. On the one hand, there is the advance of intensive greenhouse agriculture, which, between 1984 and 2007, increased in surface area by more than 58%. On the other hand, there is the growth of artificial surfaces, including urban areas (+64%), construction sites (+194%) and road infrastructures (+135%). To address this challenge, we present a proposal for green infrastructure deployment in the province of Almeria. We combine Geographic Information Systems (GISs) and multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) techniques to identify and evaluate suitability for key elements to be included in GI in two key ways. First, we identify the most suitable areas to form part of the GI in order to address vulnerability to degradation and fragmentation. Second, we propose 15 ecological corridors connecting the 35 protected areas of the province that act as core areas. The proposed GI network would extend along the western coast of the province and occupy the valleys of the main rivers. The river Almanzora plays a leading role. Due to its remoteness from the coast and its climatic conditions, it has not attracted intensive greenhouse agriculture and urban development, the main drivers of the transformation and fragmentation of traditional land uses. Around 50% of the area occupied by the proposed corridors would be located in places of medium and high suitability for the movement of species between core areas. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-11df7ba52a1c4c29b10cfe4fb1a47e1d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
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| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj-art-11df7ba52a1c4c29b10cfe4fb1a47e1d2024-11-26T18:09:42ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2024-11-011311191610.3390/land13111916Green Infrastructure Mapping in Almeria Province (Spain) Using Geographical Information Systems and Multi-Criteria EvaluationÁlvaro Navas González0Richard J. Hewitt1Javier Martínez-Vega2Department of Geology, Geography and Environment, University of Alcalá, Colegios 2, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, SpainInstitute of Economics, Geography, and Demography, Spanish Research Council (IEGD-CSIC), Albasanz, 26-28, 28037 Madrid, SpainInstitute of Economics, Geography, and Demography, Spanish Research Council (IEGD-CSIC), Albasanz, 26-28, 28037 Madrid, SpainGreen infrastructure (GI) is increasingly prioritised in landscape policy and planning due to its potential to benefit ecosystems and enhance wildlife conservation. However, due to the uneven distribution of protected areas (PAs) and the fragmentation of habitats more generally, multi-level policy strategies are needed to create an integrated GI network bridging national, regional and local scales. In the province of Almeria, southeastern Spain, protected areas are mainly threatened by two land use/land cover changes. On the one hand, there is the advance of intensive greenhouse agriculture, which, between 1984 and 2007, increased in surface area by more than 58%. On the other hand, there is the growth of artificial surfaces, including urban areas (+64%), construction sites (+194%) and road infrastructures (+135%). To address this challenge, we present a proposal for green infrastructure deployment in the province of Almeria. We combine Geographic Information Systems (GISs) and multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) techniques to identify and evaluate suitability for key elements to be included in GI in two key ways. First, we identify the most suitable areas to form part of the GI in order to address vulnerability to degradation and fragmentation. Second, we propose 15 ecological corridors connecting the 35 protected areas of the province that act as core areas. The proposed GI network would extend along the western coast of the province and occupy the valleys of the main rivers. The river Almanzora plays a leading role. Due to its remoteness from the coast and its climatic conditions, it has not attracted intensive greenhouse agriculture and urban development, the main drivers of the transformation and fragmentation of traditional land uses. Around 50% of the area occupied by the proposed corridors would be located in places of medium and high suitability for the movement of species between core areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/11/1916green infrastructureGISmulti-criteria assessmentecological connectivityAlmeriaSpain |
| spellingShingle | Álvaro Navas González Richard J. Hewitt Javier Martínez-Vega Green Infrastructure Mapping in Almeria Province (Spain) Using Geographical Information Systems and Multi-Criteria Evaluation Land green infrastructure GIS multi-criteria assessment ecological connectivity Almeria Spain |
| title | Green Infrastructure Mapping in Almeria Province (Spain) Using Geographical Information Systems and Multi-Criteria Evaluation |
| title_full | Green Infrastructure Mapping in Almeria Province (Spain) Using Geographical Information Systems and Multi-Criteria Evaluation |
| title_fullStr | Green Infrastructure Mapping in Almeria Province (Spain) Using Geographical Information Systems and Multi-Criteria Evaluation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Green Infrastructure Mapping in Almeria Province (Spain) Using Geographical Information Systems and Multi-Criteria Evaluation |
| title_short | Green Infrastructure Mapping in Almeria Province (Spain) Using Geographical Information Systems and Multi-Criteria Evaluation |
| title_sort | green infrastructure mapping in almeria province spain using geographical information systems and multi criteria evaluation |
| topic | green infrastructure GIS multi-criteria assessment ecological connectivity Almeria Spain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/11/1916 |
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