Ecological capability evaluation of Ghara-Ghach dam area to establish a tourism region

There are various methods and models for land evaluation. These methods are classified according to the number of used resources. The best resources capabilities or potentials and land use can be found by analyzing one of the main resources, in the lands close relations to ecologic resources exist. Soil has a great potential for introducing the studied region specifications. Hence, it challenges the mistaken belief stating: “soil is only valid for agricultural applications and it is weak in measuring developing and planning domain.” The present study is done with the aim to achieve the best land use according to a single-factor (soil) model for tourism planning. A soil map was obtained using a combination of conventional and digital soil mapping methods. In conventional process soils were mapped using aerial photo interpretation and physiographic methods and in digital process an elevation model and satellite images were used. Based on the field works and laboratory analyses, the soil map included 13 soil units resulting 176 delineations. Tourism region needs more essential requirements rather than recreation area. Thus, an ecological capability evaluation model developed by Bagheri Bodaghabadi (2016) was employed to evaluate all delineations of the soil map using GIS. Finally, the best environmental planning was presented to design the study area for tourism usage. The results also showed there are moderate to high suitable classes for all tourism purposes, resulting the study area has potential to develop a tourism region. The most important limiting factors in the area include soil depth, slope and coarse fragment of soil. It was also suggested to use local models to evaluate the ecological capacity in the small area.