11.522: UIS Research Seminar (Fall 2007) - Discussion notes

Tuesday, November 6, 2007, 5:00 - 7:00 PM

Landscape Planning and Environmental Management in Azerbaijan using GIS

Discussion Leader: Emil Bayramov

Justification:
Landscape planning provides an interdisciplinary instrument for integrating different agencies responsible for decision making about development and environmental management. With the support of the landscape planning agencies can identify potential nature protection problems and deficits along with new ways of development. Landscape planning is a very useful instrument for the search of appropriate solution methods among available options in order to restructure the previously centralized system in its spatial and administration aspects. Landscape planning focuses on the identification and evaluation of landscape functions and properties and also on the development of the proposals for the conservation of soil, water, air, climate, vegetation, animals, representative and esthetic landscape properties. 

Objective:
The objective of the research is to develop a methodology for landscape planning in the process of organization of the nature protected areas of Azerbaijan using Geographical Information Systems.

Tasks:

1. Collection of all the existing aerial, satellite and cartographic materials
2. Digital processing of aerial, satellite and cartographic materials using GIS
3. Digital photogrammetric processing of the existing aerial and satellite information for the improvements of positioning accuracy and for the creation of the digital terrain model
4. Remote sensing analyses for the creation of the necessary nature component layers
5. Development of the criteria table for the evaluation of the sensitivity and significance of the different nature components and zoning of the territory based on these parameters
6. Development of the methodology of the landscape planning with the application of GIS

Scientific Novelty:
For the first time in Azerbaijan it is developed the methodology for the landscape planning of the nature protected areas in this coverage scale using GIS, Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry technologies

Practical Significance:
The developed methodology affords on the qualitative level to apply new theoretical and practical technologies for economic and social development and to justify the concept of the sustainable development in an integrated form.

Materials and Methods:
The procedures and research in office and field conditions use aerial, satellite and cartographic materials, statistical results of the field measurements, and the application of the modern highly accurate GPS equipment.
The main methods for the research implementation are the following: GIS technologies, methods of photogrammetry and remote sensing processing, application development, geodetic and cartographic methods of measurements. 

Discussion Questions:
(1) Which data layers are most relevant at what scale in order to identify land that should be protected,
(2) What thresholds and weighting schemes should be used to combine the multiple criteria into manageable development constraints? 

References to similar works:

Similar research work was implemented in the Baykal Area, Irkutsk, but with wide range of territory coverage and without the application of the developed data model for the development of the GIS landscape planning simulation tool:
(1) Instrument I Opit v Vipolnenini Landshaftnogo Planirovaniya / A.N. Antipov, V.V. Kravchenko, Yu.M. Semenov et al. – Irkutsk: V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS Publishers, 2006. – 149 p., colour illustrations.

(2) Information regarding Massachusetts' 'Buildout Analysis' (circa 2000) to prepare 3 maps (in addition to orthophotos) for each Mass Municipality:

• MassGIS presentation outlining the buildout analysis process (http://www.mass.gov/mgis/mgpres2.htm)
• Map 1 - zoning and absolute development constraints
• Map 2 - developable lands and partial constraints.
• Map 3 - “binary” map showing all future development potential
• 'Scope of Services' for contracts to prepare buildout analysis (http://www.mass.gov/mgis/buildout.htm)

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