Proposta metodologica per la valutazione dell'Impatto sulla Qualità scientifica dei Geomorfositi

The proposed methodology has been elaborated for the evaluation of the Impact of antrophic constructions or activities on Scientific quality of Geomorphosites. It is quantitative, but a series of qualitative guide lines have been elaborated, in order to give a support for the attribution of the values. The Scientific quality is calculated considering a series of parameters, some strictly linked with the scientific connotation of the Geomorphosites, other indirectly linked. These parameters are: expert’s knowledge (related to the educational value of the asset and its own value for the research); areal extent (in relation to overall extent of similar sites); rarity (in relation to quantity of similar sites); degree of conservation (depending both of natural and human factors); exposure (related to the visual impact) and an added value (related to the importance that the asset has for non-geomorphological aspects that nevertheless can increase its scientific value; e.g. tourism, ecology). Than each parameter had to be weighted. The Impact of a human project on Geomorphosites can be physical and/or visual and had to be calculated on the basis of the difference of the Scientific quality in a pre-project and in a post-project situation. This methodology could be an useful tool in order to optimise the decisional process in the frame of the Territorial Planning, the Environmental Impact Assessment and the Protection of the Natural Heritage.