CRITERIA FOR IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE ROADS OF I AND II ORDER ON PROTECTED NATURAL AND CULTURAL AREAS

Abstract

This paper is a presentation of a part of the elaborate developed for PE Roads of Serbia entitled ‘Impacts of the roads of I and II order on protected natural and cultural sites’. The paper focuses on methodological aspects and criteria for the assessment of vulnerability degree of protected areas and immobile cultural sites, influenced by negative impacts caused by the roads of I and II order.

Negative impacts from traffic activities on natural protected areas and cultural heritage were assessed as singular and cumulative with the purpose of determination of critical hotspots which would require special attention by PE Roads of Serbia, institution in charge of the maintenance of road infrastructure, in the sense of application of adequate technical and organizational measures for protection.

Scope of the elaborate was whole territory of the Republic of Serbia, meaning all protected natural areas and cultural sites which could theoretically be affected by the roads of I and II order.

For the purpose of the elaborate, the authors developed a matrix for the assessment of vulnerability degree from the available elements.

Based on the matrix for the assessment of vulnerability degree and obtained results, the intensity of the impact of the roads was divided into four categories: insignificant, small, moderate and high.