Assessment of urban protected areas regulations changes using GIS software

Abstract

The scale of functional zones transformations, related nature conservation regulations, vulnerability of ecosystems to human impact, PAs borders transformations, changes of ecosystem potentials (estimated in two ways: on the basis of ecosystem services value and functional zoning and PAs restrictions established by law) is assessed in case study PA—Setun valley nature reserve (Moscow, Russia). Free open-source softwares QGIS and InVEST, open-access spatial data were used. Crucial negative transformations and predominance of negative zoning areas with too mild nature protection regimes have been revealed: landscape metrics indices rise (some of them more than doubled, especially coefficient of ideal form), exclusion of some PA part and its compensations with valley parts that are lie further away from main PA part, average-weighted ecosystem potentials difference estimated in two ways is -4.8 (possible values range from -20 to +20), reduction of zones with strict nature protection restrictions from 35% to 11%. Growth of recreational potential and construction of large transport objects are the crucial causes of current negative changes in case-study reserve at the same time, construction of engineering, social and administrative facilities are the secondary causes. Associated rise of road and pedestrian network is leading to PAs cores fragmentation and decrease of its ability to complete the main reserve goal—a conservation of natural and cultural complexes and biodiversity. The results of case-study reserve transformations analysis demonstrate an imbalance in sustainable development triad “nature-society-economy” in favour of last two components.