Land Use Reconversion in the Drought – and Aridity –Affected Areas in SW Romania (Bechet, Dolj County) (original) (raw)

In the terms of current climate change, reconversio n of land use in the drought-and aridityaffected south-western Romania, is an issue of utmos t priority. Thus, the present study aim represents a diachronic analysis of the land use wi thin the Bechet town area and proposes viable solutions for soil drought and aridity mitigation. Since 1989, uncontrolled and abusive logging affected the black locust forest areas, enabling th e sand dunes expansion and causing ecological disturbance. The main research methods were: field observation, statistical-mathematical methods and GIS mapping. The analysis of topographic maps a nd orthophotographs in 1970 to 2008 revealed a very low spatial distribution of both th e forest shelterbelts and shelterwoods. We proposed a reconstruction of these forest areas, wh ich today can no longer perform their fundamental function of land protection, because of intensive degradation. The positive consequences on long term would be the mitigation o f climate ...