A FIELD STUDY TO TEST AN IMPROVED METHOD IN THE ASSESSMENT OF VISUAL INTRUSION INDUCED BY QUARRYING SITES.

ABSTRACT

The visual alteration generated by quarrying sites on the surrounding areas constitutes a crucial step in the assessment of environmental impact such activities determine on the landscape. The case study presented in this paper refers on the application of an improved method to assess such alteration taking into account those parameters affecting the visual intrusion by means of a quantitative approach. In particular the assessment is firstly carried out using the visual impact indicator introduced by the EC decision 272/02 (Commission Decision, 2002) that establishes ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label for hard floor-coverings. Then an improved parameter is tested taking into account those parameters typical of any visual intrusion that are shape, colour and dimension of the altered area but also the characteristics of the observer or better the area from which the alteration is observed. The paper is then completed by a comparative analysis of the results. Results show that this parameter, called Visual intrusion indicator (VII), fits very well the features of the presented case study and encourages further applications.

Keywords: Visual impact, exposed quarry area, landscape alteration