1 Objectives of the research project

CEEPUS scholarship at the Faculty
of Geoinformatics,
University of West Hungary,
Székesfeh
kesfehérvár
The PhD project:
Ecological corridors in nature protection networks –
methodology of mapping, , design and management
Izabela Kawecka
PhD Student at the Institute of
Geography and Spatial Management,
Jagiellonian University,
Kraków
The map of ecological corridors for a bear (ursus arctos)
surrounding the Gorczanski National Park
in the region of Gorce Mountains (by Izabela Kawecka)
Objectives of the research project
• Collecting literature and case studies on ecological
networks design
• Comparing methods, , GIS tools and other experiences
from European and non-European
countries in order to
define the best solution for the Polish environment
• Evaluating the role of geographical information systems
and of geographical information in the design and
management of protected areas
• Case study in Poland – ecological corridors for 3 national
parks with different species requirements
Ecological networks are the requirement of a modern
nature protection system. It consists of three elements:
- Core areas, protecting relatively big parts of natural
ecosystems. Usually national parks, landscape
parks and other big protected areas can be
considered the core areas of a network
- Ecological corridors (biological
corridors, wildlife
corridors),
connecting core areas and allowing
species migrations and movement
- Buffer zones, protecting the network elements from
negative impacts from outside
A schematic model of a corridor connecting two core areas
The more realistic form of a corridor in an agricultural
landscape – the stepping stones
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Examples of case studies, basing on different methods of spatial analysis
Different scale (range) of an ecological network
Corridors in the spatial plan for
Opole (a city in Poland)
Econet network (project) for Poland
Field research - verification and correction of
computer/maps
maps/remote
sensing/GIS
based results
The most important issue – the management
of designed corridors
Example from the USA – the property of a closed mine is now fenced,
to protect this wildlife movement corridor from human impacts
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Information and data collection
during the research scholarship in Hungary
• Literature query at the library in Székesfeh
kesfehérvár and in
Sopron
• Literature query at the ITC digital library
• Analysing the Velence Lake Project
• Information about the Natura 2000 and other protected
areas in Hungary (Ministry(
of the Environment)
• Information about the Corine project and methods, along
with the Hungarian software for monitoring land use
changes (FÖMI)
• Information about Hungarian spatial planning system and
zones (VÁTI)
• Information about Greenways system (ÖKOTÁRS)
Development of the Hungarian
Nature Conservation Information System - CIS
Protected Areas in Hungary
Natura 2000
in Hungary – preparation, process
Natura 2000 sites in Hungary
Hungarian Corine Project
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Methodology for Corine
(InterChange
Software, designed by FÖMI)
An example of a national ecological network –
a project
GIS data for network design
• Land registers of target areas
• Forest maps of target areas
• Botanical and zoological data
• Monitoring areas
• Habitat maps
• Topographic maps
• Transportation networks (roads, railways)
• Investitions, settlements and spatia plans in the target
area – important as prognosis
• Other thematical maps (Ramsar sites, Econet, etc.)
• Other (written, oral) information about the actual species
distribution, habits, migration etc.
Next steps
• Research on three case studies in
Poland – ecological corridors for
National Parks (methodology)
• Comparison with the collected
literature and examples from other
countries
• Conclusions
Thank you for your help
and attention
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