Environmental Impact Assessment on Torghabeh-Shandiz Township using Degradation Model

Land degradation modeling is one of the environmental impact assessment methods that quantitatively represent the effects of human activities. The purpose of applying this model is identifying vulnerability factors and destruction of ecosystems, to prevent further destruction by other project and also to show feasibility of future development to decision markers.

first The study area was partitioned into 94 cells, 1600 ha each and then Fourteen degradation factors were identified along with their intensity using land use map, field observations and expert views. So the determination of ecological susceptibility and physiological density was determined and all cells were classified to 4 categories: recommended for development, zones that require reconstruction, protection and cells hadn't development potential based on fuzzy theory.

The results show that from 94 cells, 22 cells (23.40% of the total area) require reconstruction, 37 cells (39.36% of total area) have no development potential, and 35 cells (37.22% of total area) are recommended for development. 

The effects of destructive activities (which are mainly destructive effects of tourism activities) in the region are obvious, so that destructive activities such as land use change and river pollution to the region on the one hand. They are the main causes of destruction of the 94 cell, 21 cell due to faults and 16 cell due to being in the Binalood protected area, have no development potential. 35 cell are recommended for development in first to third priorities, these cells are in low physiological density area and 22 cell due to high physiological density and severity destructive agents has a high degradation coefficient and need to be reconstructed, and therefore any future development in this area, should be excluded.