Vulnerability assessment of forest protected areas to environmental hazards

Abstract

Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate the vulnerability of Helen Forest protected area to multiple environmental hazards including drought, evapotranspiration, flood, landslide and wildfire. To this end, in the first stage, field survey was conducted in random systematic sample plots and a map of the degree of sensitivity of the forest parts was prepared based on the canopy cover. Then, the risks of environmental hazards were mapped in the study area. Also, by implementing a closed Delphi method, the relative weight of each of environmental hazard was calculated. Finally, weighted standardized maps of environmental hazards and sensitivity map of the area were integrated and a classification map of the sensitivity was prepared in three categories: low, medium and high. The results of the relative weights​​ calculated for each of the hazards showed that drought has the highest relative weight (0.95), followed by fire (0.82). Also, the results showed that the risk of evapotranspiration with a relative weight of 0.32 has the last rank. The integration of weighted maps of environmental hazards and canopy cover showed that there is a range of spatial changes of vulnerability in different parts of the area. Based on the results, the degree of vulnerability of Helen protected area varied from 0.76 to 2.04. The classification of the sensitivity into three classes showed that the degree of vulnerability is higher in the eastern and western parts of the area (high vulnerability). On the other hand, the degree of vulnerability in the southern and northern parts is lower (low and medium vulnerability). Based on the results, 6701.8 ha (16.7%), 10806.3 ha (26.92%), and 11664.4 ha (29.06%) of Helen protected area are in low, medium and high level of vulnerability to multiple environmental hazards, respectively.