Interpretation of Landscape Values, Typology and Quality Using Methods of Spatial Metrics for Ecological Planning

The main result of this work consists in determined ecological significant areas of habitats that are under protection´s system of Natura 2000 Sites. The patches quantification of habitats is the partial result that influences process of determination of ecological significance. The interpretative process examines land cover patches by the set of landscape metrics for the area, size, density and shape (NP, PD, MPS, PSSD and MSI). The output values could express a spatial processes in the landscape, such as perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage or attrition. The final ecological significance of the study area-Sitno Natura 2000 site-is at degree 3, what means that the area is represented by moderately significant land cover patches-habitats. It indicates the same value as the one at the initial level. According to the value of the ecological significance, the study area has been diversified into three zones, where each one indicates specific level of conservation. The zones and the final degree of the ecological significance of habitats are retroactively compared to historical and cultural human development that started in this area as early as in 1st century BC. Theoretically, such a long period of intense human impacts on the local environment should completely destroy natural environment. Nevertheless, this area demonstrates rather good natural ecosystems conditions and well functioning ecological processes within the habitats. The human impact is now observed only in small range of size not more than 1,50% from total area of Sitno Natura 2000 Site. It can be explained, first, by low population density within the study area comparing to other EU areas, secondly, by accurate usage of the living area by the local population in general, and thirdly, by high resilience of the elements of landscapes towards any human impacts.