Adrian Ursu

Determining rural areas vulnerable to illegal dumping using GIS techniques. Case study: Neamt county, Romania

The paper aims to mapping the potential vulnerable areas to illegal dumping of household waste from rural areas in the extra- Carpathian region of Neamt County. These areas are ordinary in the proximity of built-up areas and buffers areas of 1 km were delimited for every locality. Based on various map layers in vector formats (land use, rivers, built-up areas, roads etc) an assessment method is performed to highlight the potential areas vulnerable to illegal dumping inside these buffer areas at local scale. The results are correlated to field observations and current situation of waste management systems. The maps outline local disparities due to various geographical conditions of county. This approach is a necessary tool in EIA studies particularly for rural waste management systems at local and regional scale which are less studied in current literature than urban areas.

Contribution of Geographic Information Systems for the Mapping of Flooding Factors in Yaoundé: The Case Study of Mfoundi Upstream Watershed

Abstract Built on a hilly relief, the city of Yaoundé is exposed to flooding since three decades. They caused human, material and environmental damages. Efficient management of this phenomenon by public authorities should go through a proper control of variables contributing to this hazard. Through various GIS applications based on multi temporal maps and primary data, we developed a detailed mapping of the main natural and human factors responsible for this phenomenon.

EU Acquis Compliance on Urban Waste Management. Case Study: Piatra Neamt , Romania

This paper examines the current challenges in urban waste management systems under EU regulations for a newcomer state. Piatra Neamț is among the first Romanian cities which made the transition from a traditional to a modern waste management infrastructure through ISPA funds. These changes are poor reflected in rate of recyling and treatment so far according to analysis of waste streams. The paper performs a critical review of waste management services and also assesses the vulnerability to illegal dumping. Inappropriate sites of waste management facilities contribute to environmental pollution and urban landscape degradation. Comparative analysis between pre-accession period vs. current situation highlights one the one hand the improvements in this sector and on the other hand the difficulties to comply EU targets.

Estimating the Impact of Human Activities on the Environment in Moldova Region (HI Index)

Abstract This paper work tries to spatialize the effects of the anthropic activity on the environment, as the human society continuous development requires space, food, energy and resources and that has a significant impact. Trying to evidentiate this kind of pressure over the environment by cartographic materials, that combines all effects is an impossible endeavor, but highlighting affected areas in an irreversible manner by an increased degree of artificiality is a necessity for the future environmental policy, so, starting from this point we were able to apply a methodology on the studied area and we obtained a seth of conclusing results.

Built-Up Area Change Analysis in Iasi City Using GIS

Abstract The study analyses the spatial and temporal changes occurred in the builtup area of Iași city and its surrounding areas using cartographic materials from different time periods. The paper aims to highlight the areas where the most significant changes took place by identifying the main evolution patterns, generated by certain natural or human-driven factors. The results of the study were achieved by using specific photo-interpretation methods of the available orthophotomaps form 2006 and 2012, mainly using the professional GIS softwares TNT Mips 7.2., ArcGIS 10.2 and Global Mapper 11. The changes have lead on the one hand to the conversion of the former industrial areas and thus, the urban regeneration, but also to the periurbanization phenomenon, with major functional and structural effects.

Urban Public Transportation System Changes, in Post Communist Period in Iasi Municipality

Urban public transportation system changes, in post-communist period in Iasi municipality. During the transition period, from the communist era to the market economy, the Romanian cities suffered important mutations such as deindustrialization, urban sprawl, changes in functional areas, the increase in cars number, etc. These changes required a quick adaptation of the urban public transportation system. This paper tries to reveal if these changes happened in the proper manner, taking into consideration the fact that Iasi city is one of the most polluted in the country. In the communist era, the city of Iasi has experienced a great development, becoming an important industrial, educational and medical center. The transportation system is the effect of the historical context of overall urban development of the city of Iasi. From the public transport point of view, adaptation to external transformations in the post-communist era is difficult, because suburbanization is not sustained by the development of an adequate transport infrastructure, which means for the home owners higher transportation costs and a higher motorization degree. The lack of public transport routes from these areas leads to higher traffic values in the city which remains the main polarization center of the region. Nowadays there is a series of major deficiencies in the level of polarization of the transport network in the urban space. Adapting supply to demand transport consists of qualitative restructuring of public transport.

Restructuring the post-industrial landscape of Bistrita subcarpathian valley , Romania

The paper examines the industrial landscape evolution of Bistrita subcarpathian Valley, focusing on the causes, and especially on the consequences of those rapid changes over the territory. The area under study has favorable conditions for the development of the industrial sector, being an area of old housing and having access to natural and human resources needed for this type of activity. The methodology was achieved through the spatial and temporal analysis of cartographic documents from different suggestive periods, carefully selection of the bibliographical mater lis, and through a detailed field study for validating the results of the laboratory and providing new information. To better illustrate the industrial landscape dynamics reflected in Bistrita subcarpathian Valley we used GIS techniques as the main tool in completing the work, resulting two cartographic materials that capture the state before and after the fall of the communist regime (1989), which affected the whole Romanian industry. The maps are supported by edifying images of the concerned periods. The results noted an accelerated process of transforming the industrial landscape within the analyzed territory, a critical moment being 1989, which marks the transition from planned to market economy, resulting a complex process of industrial restructuring. The study identifies certain models of conversion of former industrial sites and finally aims to provide viable solutions for reinsertion in the economic circuit.

The Forest Area Changes in the Prut River Watershed (Romania)

Prut river is a border river between Romania and Moldova and its watershed is extended in both countries. This study is focused on the analysis of the Romanian part of the watershed. The transformations in the forested areas were described for a period of 110 years, based on several historic maps and satellite images, integrated in the G.I.S environment. In order to track the transformations underwent by the forested areas, we used topographic materials of the 1893-1894 edition at the scale of 1:50 000,the 1945 edition at the scale of 1:20 000, the 1975 edition at the scale of 1:25 000 and Corine Land Cover for the year 2000. It notes two stages: the first stage (before the communist regime) is marked by a decrease of forest area for grasslands and deforestation for farmland or land-winning housing, and the second (stage during the communist regime), during which there was controlled logging, followed by plantings.During the period between 1890-1945 stands uncontrolled logging policy for the period 1945-1975 and controlled logging, followed by afforestation. In the last period 1975-2000 there is an increase in forest area due also to controlled logging and numerous plantations for the protection of degraded lands. Another observation made was that of an increase in forest surface as a result of the natural vegetation growth. The most dynamic area is in the southern part of the Prut basin whereas in the central and eastern portions, the region is almost entirely deforested, whilst in the north-west, west and south the forested areas are predominant. In the Bucecea and Ruginoasa gorges, from the wooded area of the Suceava Plateau, as well as in most of the forest steppe from the Moldavian Plain, the natural spontaneous vegetation was replaced by crops.