Geochemical aspect of landscape planning in forestry

Abstract

One of the modern methods of spatially estimating anthropogenic impact on a given territory is landscape planning, including the stage of assessment of the conditions of

a natural complex . The results of such an evaluation are used in environmental manage- ment. The aim of the work is to assess the ecological conditions of the Vasyshchivsky forest

area by means of landscape and environmental planning. The aim is achieved by performing the following stages of work: assessment of the distribution and intensity of contamination sources in the Vasyshchivsky forest area; drawing a scheme showing parts of the territory with probable conflicts; making a soil and geochemical survey of the forest area to

assess acidity distribution and total content of carbonates in the soil as the consequences of pollution of the forest ecosystem ; specifi- cation of geochemical characteristics of soils on the forest sites in the established location of former fires; forecast of limits of afte-r

fire areas based on the analysis of cartographic works developed by the authors. The geochemical characteristics of the soils in Vasysh- chivsky forest have been studied to identify the areas affected by fire, and the results of this study are given in this paper. During the

inventory phase of landscape and environmental planning, a complete survey of the forest territory was conducted and a landscape map was drawn. Based on the authors’ matrices filled with conflicts of natural use, the areas with low, medium and high levels of conflict have been marked within the study area. Landscape and environmental planning has been evaluated by soil sampling outside the test points on the network and their laboratory analysis. The results of the evaluation phase were maps illustrating the geochemical situation in the forest soil cover. The article presents cartographic models of the spatial distribution of carbonates in the forest soils, water and salt extraction pH. The results of the study are part of an environmental assessment of Vasyshchivsky forest area. In future they will be used in restoration of the forest ecosystems after fire.