Depurazione vegetale: realtà o placebo? L’impatto sul paesaggio delle sanitary protection zones in Kazakhstan

During the Soviet regime rural roads and railway lines have almost always been protected by vegetation for security measures. In this way, especially in the wide flat areas, during snow storm was avoided snow accumulation on the roadway, usually built on an embankment. The concept of protection was then extended to all situations in which it was necessary, even if only in theory, the presence of buffer areas. Thee result was a denaturalization of the landscape, marked by an endless green line. The environmental difficulties that characterize some Kazakhstan areas, such as a desert steppe with extreme soil salinity, has not stopped the Kazakh authorities to require green protection system for new settlements concerning crude oil processing. There are many difficulties involved in imposing green belts in a desert situation, with land strongly alkaline and temperature range between summer and winter of 80 degrees, in addition to winds that can reach speeds of 130 km/h. The present study shows highly technical capacity in order to satisfy the environmental requirements imposed by the Kazakh authorities. In spite of all it’s not possible to avoid a strong impact on the environment.