Landscape suitability assessment and mapping of potential land use conflicts in the function of sustainable landscape management: a case study of Branicevo district, Serbia

Abstract

In this study, the landscape suitability assessment was used to quantify and map the relationships between landscape functions (agriculture production, recreational tourism and mineral resources exploitation). Obtained results can be treated in two ways. The greatest potentials for conflict are observed in the multifunctional landscapes of Branicevo District, where the mapped landscape functions carry high values. In the same way, the values obtained by determining the degree of suitability reflect development opportunities, and indicate terrains most suitable for the development of agriculture production and recreational tourism. The methodological approach is based on the combined application of the Relative Relief Evaluation Method and V-Wert method. GIS data processing produced synthesis maps, which presented spatial units, grouped into categories with values conditioned by the heterogeneous landscape structure. Spatial units indicating high and conditionally high level of potential conflict between agriculture production and recreational tourism occupy an area of 16.01%, while spatial units where high and conditionally high level of potential conflict between all three landscape functions occupy 4.91% of the district. The most suitable terrains for agriculture production development occupy 23.17% of the area, while the spatial units indicating terrains most valuable for recreational tourism development occupy 7.43% of the study area.