Landscape visual quality analysis on the Val de Zafán greenway

Identifier:  TFM:1445

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFM1445

Authors:  Kurshakov, Igor

Abstract:
This article investigates the concept of landscape and its visual quality. Landscape values constitute an important heritage today, which is why the evaluation of landscapes does not lose relevance. In order to cover the entire complex of components that determine a landscape, a broad methodology is required. In the given work in the first place, Geographic Information Systems have been applied, which offer a vast variety of tools and operational resources to work with large volumes of spatial data. Second, a subject as complicated as landscape requires a methodological approach of a certain universality. That is why this research is based on the principles of Multicriteria Evaluation and those methods that are usually combined with the MCDA. Third, the analysis carried out focuses on the Val de Zafán greenway, which runs through the Baix Ebre and Terra Alta comarcas of southern Catalonia. Such reconverted railways have become popular with the development of green tourism and the interest in cycling as sustainable mobility. The combination of this transport and greenways gives access to a wide landscape resource in rural and protected areas. Considering the development of said infrastructures that has been carried out in recent years, this article has been proposed to evaluate the quality of the perceptible landscape from the Val de Zafán greenway. In addition, the research covers the issue of the nature of the use of the way to be able to compare an analysis of landscape quality with the popular perception of the same landscapes. For that a reference has been made to Voluntary Geographic Information and the Wikiloc resource in particular. The results of the given study demonstrate that the touched topic deserves more academic attention and new landscape studies.