Kirichenko V.Y., Chernyagina O.A. An integrated anthropogenic impact map for the natural systems of Kamchatka // Устойчивое развитие территорий: теория ГИС и практический опыт. Материалы 12-ой международной конференции. Калининград (Россия) - Берлин (Германия), август 2006 г. Калининград, 2006 г.

AN INTEGRATED ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT MAP FOR THE NATURAL SYSTEMS OF KAMCHATKA

V.Y. Kirichenko, O.A. Chernyagina

Kamchatka Branch of Pacific institute of Geography FED RAS

Kamchatka League of Independent Experts

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskii, Russia

vadim_kir@mail.kamchatka.ru

Abstract: A shift in natural resource use priorities is creating genuine threats to those sectors of the Kamchatskaya Oblast and the Koryakskii Autonomous Okrug economy that are based on the use of renewable resources. This article presents the results of the authors' initial analysis of a map developed to show total anthropogenic impact on natural systems. The results obtained to date speak to the need to reexamine existing notions about the status of natural systems on the peninsula and in adjacent territories, and they also point to the urgent need to revise environmental statutes regulating anthropogenic impacts in river watersheds.

Kamchatskaya Oblast and the Koryakskii Autonomous Okrug are territories with a high volume of wilderness, one of the few unspoiled areas left on our planet. The region's wilderness status is not only a result of being at great distance from Russia's industrial centers but is also a consequence of the region's traditional economic orientation of using renewable resources and of maintaining a well developed network of protected territories. With the onset of the third millennium, a noticeable intensification of natural resource use is observed that is being accompanied by a shift in natural resource development priorities. The area directly and indirectly affected by non-renewable resource extraction is expanding along with the infrastructures built to service those sectors: roads, gas pipelines, power lines. This is resulting in a degradation of natural systems and is reducing total wilderness area. There is a formal recognition of the need to conserve biodiversity and the conditions necessary for renewable biologic resources because these renewable resources are the basis for the Kamchatskaya Oblast and Koryakskii Autonomous Okrug economies.

Economic assessment and forecasting are not part of the planning process for land based mineral resource development facilities, for oil and gas deposits in salmon rivers and on the shelf of western Kamchatka, for plans to build new roads, recreational areas or other commercial development plans. A reliable assessment of the current condition of natural systems and a true representation of the current anthropogenic impact on wilderness are important planning tools because protecting these systems is an indispensable feature of promoting economic development based on renewable resources. The use of integrated assessments to evaluate the anthropogenic impact of development activities on natural systems is an intriguing and yet poorly applied tool. The success of environmental regulations to manage anthropogenic impacts on natural ecosystems, however, depends upon such assessments [1].

This article presents the initial results of an analysis of a map of total anthropogenic impact on the natural ecosystems of Kamchatka. Materials from the "State Report on Environmental Conditions in Kamchatskaya Oblast and Koryakskii Autonomous Okrug in 2003" [2], published and file data containing information on existing and planned use of natural resources on Kamchatskaya Oblast and in Koryakskii Autonomous Okrug, GPS based data and observations, and the results of deciphering satellite images from "Landsat ETM+" and "ASTER" for the 1999-2002 period serve as the baseline data for compiling the map. Materials were systematized and assessed based on a contemporary classification of direct threats to wilderness [3] and existing impressions of the analyzed material [4]. At the same time, it should be noted that of the 47 recognized types of direct threats accounted for on contemporary world threat and "human trace" maps, 40 of those threat types are noted on Kamchatka (Table 1).

Table 1.

Direct Threats to Kamchatka's Wilderness and an Evaluation of Opportunities to Map those Threats

Threat Category	Threat Type	Mapping		Data Access and their Availability
		Opportunity	Importance
Habitat Conversion & Degradation	• Housing & Urban Development • Industrial Development • Commercial Development • Farms & Plantations • Forestry • Natural System Modifications • Recreation Areas • Military Activities • Altered Fire Regime	Very Good	Very Important	Very Good	+
		Good		Average	+
				Low	±
		Very Good		Good	-
Transportation Infrastructure	• Utility Lines • Energy Lines • Communication Lines • Roads • River Shipping Lanes • Flight Paths	Very Good	Very Important	Very Good	+
				Good	+
		Good		Low	±
Energy & Mining	• Mining • Oil & Gas Drilling • Renewable Energy • Water Diversion	Good	Important	Good	±
Biological Resource Harvesting	• Logging • Fishing • Grazing and Ranching • Hunting • Non-Timber Forest Product Gathering	Good	Very Important	Хорошая	+
		Average		Average	-
		Good		Good	-
		Average		Average	-
Recreation & Work in Natural Habitats	• Motor-Powered Recreation & Work • All Forms of Tourism • Scientific Research • Military Training	Average	Low Importance	Average	±
Pollution	• Solid Waste • Nutrient Loads • Toxics • Noise • Thermal • Light • Radioactive Materials	Average	Important	Important	-
				Average	-
		Low		Good	-
		Average
		Very Good
		Low	Low Importance	Low	-
Invasive & Other Problematic Species & Genes	• Vegetation • Animals • Illness & Pathogenic Organisms	Low	Important	Average	-
			Low Importance	Low	-
Change in Natural Processes	• Climate Change • Grazing Patterns • Fire Regimes	Low	Important	Low	-
		Average	Very Important	Average	-

The uneven study of the influence of various impact types and the absence of a uniform classification system and methodology transforms an integrated analysis of anthropogenic impacts and threats into a complex, multilevel task. We have attempted to solve this problem by calculating the impact area for each threat type, without accounting for specific impacts on natural environment components. Our attention, in working on this task, was focused on the direct impact of human infrastructures and populations and whose range of impacts has an immediate influence on flora and fauna. Base line materials are combined into 22 layers of data that have been ordered in significance of impact (Table 2).

Table 2.

Base Line Data Layers Used for Calculations

Spot Locations		Spatial Locations
1.	Licensed Mineral Deposits	11.	Agricultural Lands
2.	Helicopter Landing Pads	12.	Coniferous Timber Harvest
3.	Recreation Sites	13.	Cities, Villages greater than 1000 People
Linear Locations		14.	Villages from 100-1000 People
4.	Road Network (Category 4)	15.	Villages from 50-100 People, Dachas, Resorts
5.