Simulating Environmental Impacts Based On The Example Of Roşia Montană

One of the challenges of modern terrain modelling methods is to incorporate non-existing, planned features in the output. Remote sensing based solutions can only detect structures and shapes that are already present in the environment. In order to assess the impacts of a planned development on the s...

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Main Author: Barton Gábor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Szeged 2015-12-01
Series:Journal of Environmental Geography
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1515/jengeo-2015-0007
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author Barton Gábor
author_facet Barton Gábor
author_sort Barton Gábor
collection DOAJ
description One of the challenges of modern terrain modelling methods is to incorporate non-existing, planned features in the output. Remote sensing based solutions can only detect structures and shapes that are already present in the environment. In order to assess the impacts of a planned development on the surrounding landscape properly it is inevitable to solve this issue. In addition to the environmental, social and economic consequences, mining activities, especially open cast mining will also leave significant scars on the landscape. These can not only have a visual effect but also impact local weather conditions by changing winds, precipitation patterns. The current paper demonstrates a collection of methods and techniques able to cope with the various challenges that arise when modelling the landscape impacts of such developments. The experiments were performed in the area of Roşia Montană, where a Canadian company plans to create the largest open cast gold mine in Europe. The results of the terrain modelling process allow for the quantification of the estimated impacts on the terrain and the land cover of the area caused by the mining project. The presented methodology and visualisation tools can also facilitate the decision support mechanisms making the communication ‘more understandable’ amongst stakeholders; information meetings and public hearings involving organizing groups at any level. Obtaining the results required the development of several unconventional techniques especially in terrain modelling and visual landscape simulation, involving the combination of sometimes very different base methods.
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spelling doaj.art-2acd097198cd4b199b5d6ded3f1d89172022-12-22T00:21:15ZengUniversity of SzegedJournal of Environmental Geography2060-467X2015-12-0183-411010.1515/jengeo-2015-0007Simulating Environmental Impacts Based On The Example Of Roşia MontanăBarton Gábor0Scottish Natural Heritage, Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, IV3 8NW Inverness, United KingdomOne of the challenges of modern terrain modelling methods is to incorporate non-existing, planned features in the output. Remote sensing based solutions can only detect structures and shapes that are already present in the environment. In order to assess the impacts of a planned development on the surrounding landscape properly it is inevitable to solve this issue. In addition to the environmental, social and economic consequences, mining activities, especially open cast mining will also leave significant scars on the landscape. These can not only have a visual effect but also impact local weather conditions by changing winds, precipitation patterns. The current paper demonstrates a collection of methods and techniques able to cope with the various challenges that arise when modelling the landscape impacts of such developments. The experiments were performed in the area of Roşia Montană, where a Canadian company plans to create the largest open cast gold mine in Europe. The results of the terrain modelling process allow for the quantification of the estimated impacts on the terrain and the land cover of the area caused by the mining project. The presented methodology and visualisation tools can also facilitate the decision support mechanisms making the communication ‘more understandable’ amongst stakeholders; information meetings and public hearings involving organizing groups at any level. Obtaining the results required the development of several unconventional techniques especially in terrain modelling and visual landscape simulation, involving the combination of sometimes very different base methods.https://doi.org/10.1515/jengeo-2015-0007digital terrain modellingvisual impact assessmentlandscape modellingdecision supportroşia montană
spellingShingle Barton Gábor
Simulating Environmental Impacts Based On The Example Of Roşia Montană
Journal of Environmental Geography
digital terrain modelling
visual impact assessment
landscape modelling
decision support
roşia montană
title Simulating Environmental Impacts Based On The Example Of Roşia Montană
title_full Simulating Environmental Impacts Based On The Example Of Roşia Montană
title_fullStr Simulating Environmental Impacts Based On The Example Of Roşia Montană
title_full_unstemmed Simulating Environmental Impacts Based On The Example Of Roşia Montană
title_short Simulating Environmental Impacts Based On The Example Of Roşia Montană
title_sort simulating environmental impacts based on the example of rosia montana
topic digital terrain modelling
visual impact assessment
landscape modelling
decision support
roşia montană
url https://doi.org/10.1515/jengeo-2015-0007
work_keys_str_mv AT bartongabor simulatingenvironmentalimpactsbasedontheexampleofrosiamontana