Quality Analysis for Conservation and Integral Risk Assessment of the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Spain)

The environment is being affected by the great development of human activities, which is why, in recent years, the need to protect the environment has increased, through the carrying out of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Within this assessment, environmental geology constitutes an instr...

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Main Authors: Leticia Merchán, Antonio Miguel Martínez-Graña, Carlos E. Nieto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/4/885
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author Leticia Merchán
Antonio Miguel Martínez-Graña
Carlos E. Nieto
author_facet Leticia Merchán
Antonio Miguel Martínez-Graña
Carlos E. Nieto
author_sort Leticia Merchán
collection DOAJ
description The environment is being affected by the great development of human activities, which is why, in recent years, the need to protect the environment has increased, through the carrying out of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Within this assessment, environmental geology constitutes an instrument for territorial and urban planning based on the analysis of conservation and the integral analysis of risks, obtaining cartography that can be useful in territorial and regional planning strategies. The methodology carried out in this article consists of applying a multi-criteria analysis in territorial planning, combining vector and raster data. This novel, low-cost, and effective methodology assesses conservation areas and risks, using map algebra and network analysis to identify priority areas and facilitate decision-making in a precise and quantitative manner. This analysis has been carried out in the Arribes del Duero Natural Park, which stands out as a place where numerous environmental values coexist, i.e., geological, geomorphological, and edaphological, forming unique landscapes. With regard to the results obtained, the cartography of conservation quality classifies the territory into four categories according to its degree of conservation: very high, high, low, and very low quality. The integral risk cartography identifies the areas with the greatest geological risks, such as erosion and landslides, and establishes limitations for land use. Also, by integrating both cartographies, it is determined which activities are compatible with each zone, considering both conservation and risks. Finally, it can be concluded that the cartographies obtained are useful for efficient land management, protecting the environment, and allowing human development in a controlled manner.
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spelling doaj-art-1f782f7cb9484225bd47b3f8f653bef12025-08-20T02:17:59ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-04-0114488510.3390/land14040885Quality Analysis for Conservation and Integral Risk Assessment of the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Spain)Leticia Merchán0Antonio Miguel Martínez-Graña1Carlos E. Nieto2Department of Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Salamanca, Filiberto Villalobos Avenue 119, 37007 Salamanca, SpainDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Merced Square, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, SpainDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Merced Square, University of Salamanca, 37008 Salamanca, SpainThe environment is being affected by the great development of human activities, which is why, in recent years, the need to protect the environment has increased, through the carrying out of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Within this assessment, environmental geology constitutes an instrument for territorial and urban planning based on the analysis of conservation and the integral analysis of risks, obtaining cartography that can be useful in territorial and regional planning strategies. The methodology carried out in this article consists of applying a multi-criteria analysis in territorial planning, combining vector and raster data. This novel, low-cost, and effective methodology assesses conservation areas and risks, using map algebra and network analysis to identify priority areas and facilitate decision-making in a precise and quantitative manner. This analysis has been carried out in the Arribes del Duero Natural Park, which stands out as a place where numerous environmental values coexist, i.e., geological, geomorphological, and edaphological, forming unique landscapes. With regard to the results obtained, the cartography of conservation quality classifies the territory into four categories according to its degree of conservation: very high, high, low, and very low quality. The integral risk cartography identifies the areas with the greatest geological risks, such as erosion and landslides, and establishes limitations for land use. Also, by integrating both cartographies, it is determined which activities are compatible with each zone, considering both conservation and risks. Finally, it can be concluded that the cartographies obtained are useful for efficient land management, protecting the environment, and allowing human development in a controlled manner.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/4/885resilienceterritorial reception capacityintegrated risk analysisSEAArribes del DueroSpain
spellingShingle Leticia Merchán
Antonio Miguel Martínez-Graña
Carlos E. Nieto
Quality Analysis for Conservation and Integral Risk Assessment of the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Spain)
Land
resilience
territorial reception capacity
integrated risk analysis
SEA
Arribes del Duero
Spain
title Quality Analysis for Conservation and Integral Risk Assessment of the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Spain)
title_full Quality Analysis for Conservation and Integral Risk Assessment of the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Spain)
title_fullStr Quality Analysis for Conservation and Integral Risk Assessment of the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Spain)
title_full_unstemmed Quality Analysis for Conservation and Integral Risk Assessment of the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Spain)
title_short Quality Analysis for Conservation and Integral Risk Assessment of the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Spain)
title_sort quality analysis for conservation and integral risk assessment of the arribes del duero natural park spain
topic resilience
territorial reception capacity
integrated risk analysis
SEA
Arribes del Duero
Spain
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/4/885
work_keys_str_mv AT leticiamerchan qualityanalysisforconservationandintegralriskassessmentofthearribesdeldueronaturalparkspain
AT antoniomiguelmartinezgrana qualityanalysisforconservationandintegralriskassessmentofthearribesdeldueronaturalparkspain
AT carlosenieto qualityanalysisforconservationandintegralriskassessmentofthearribesdeldueronaturalparkspain