Advanced search
Start date
Betweenand
Related content
(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Definition of priority areas for forest conservation through the ordered weighted averaging method

Full text
Author(s):
Averna Valente, Roberta de Oliveira [1] ; Vettorazzi, Carlos Alberto [1]
Total Authors: 2
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Rural Engn Dept, Luiz Queiroz Sch Agr, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 1
Document type: Journal article
Source: FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT; v. 256, n. 6, p. 1408-1417, SEP 5 2008.
Web of Science Citations: 44
Abstract

The general objective of this study was to evaluate the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) method, integrated to a geographic information systems (GIS), in the definition of priority areas for forest conservation in a Brazilian river basin, aiming at to increase the regional biodiversity. We demonstrated how one could obtain a range of alternatives by applying OWA, including the one obtained by the weighted linear combination method and, also the use of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to structure the decision problem and to assign the importance to each criterion. The criteria considered important to this study were: proximity to forest patches; proximity among forest patches with larger core area; proximity to surface water; distance from roads: distance from urban areas; and vulnerability to erosion. OWA requires two sets of criteria weights: the weights of relative criterion importance and the order weights. Thus, Participatory Technique was used to define the criteria set and the criterion importance (based in AHP). In order to obtain the second set of weights we considered the influence of each criterion, as well as the importance of each one, on this decision-making process. The sensitivity analysis indicated coherence among the criterion importance weights, the order weights, and the solution. According to this analysis, only the proximity to surface water criterion is not important to identify priority areas for forest conservation. Finally, we can highlight that the OWA method is flexible, easy to be implemented and, mainly, it facilitates a better understanding of the alternative land-use suitability patterns. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 02/03026-6 - Definition of priority areas for forest conservation and preservation using multi criteria evaluation with GIS
Grantee:Roberta Averna Valente B Tolini
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate