Davorin GAZVODA
SUMMARY
The paper deals with the currently popular “habitat mapping” of urban open spaces. Among many other methods, which try to define or measure the level of natural preservation, habitat mapping is a sort of pre-analytical method or, rather, a simple inventarisation (identification) of habitats. Biologists, who most often conduct such mapping, define habitats according to the predominant plant species. The method is quite similar to the known methods used by plant sociologists when they produce their vegetation maps. If these maps are used instead of habitat maps, and combined with other spatial data, relevant spatial models can be produced to simulate habitats, which is a common procedure in the landscape planning process. In this case the long-term and expensive procedure of habitat mapping is not needed. Therefore, the maps of habitats, once they are produced, must also be evaluated by biologists, and hierarchically categorized from the most preserved or natural habitat to the less preserved or natural habitat for continuous use. Once habitats are categorized, they can be used, and, the simulation of further urbanization can be made in a landscape ecological manner by preserving important habitats. Final step is to provide necessary corridors and stepping stones for certain species and to propose new types of urban parks and recreational zones.
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