GIS application for Environmental Impact Assessment: an analysis of the effects of a motor way project in a alpine valley.

This contribution introduces GIS applications and geomorphologic characterisation as important elements for making environmental impact assessment operational. A motorway project is analysed which is located in a typical alpine environment near the city of Trento, in northern Italy. The plan considers a series of feasible solutions to expand the connection between two major road networks that cross a series of ecosystems where geomorphologic factors play a fundamental key role. The impacts are evaluated and converted to a computational form, suitable for spatial data analysis, multi-criteria analysis and decision-making by alternative ranking. Both the strategy of approach and the results of the analysis are discussed at the end of the contribution.