Ecological Assessment for Spatial Planning: The Case of Southern Tuscany, Italy

ABSTRACT The study concerns a methodology of assessment that aims to detect the prior objectives relative to nature conservation in an extended area.of Tuscany in Italy. In particular, we designed a model to assess ecological value (EV) and ecological sensitivity (ES) that together define the hotspots of ecological attention (HEA) areas; we design a model to assess anthropic pressure (disturbance) (AP), which together with ecological sensitivity define the hotspots of ecological fragility (vulnerability) (HEF) areas. The results of the work confirm the robust-ness of the method and its application in the scope of extended area planning and environmental assessment.