Intervenções recentes e avaliação de impactes ambientais no Baixo Mondego

Abstract

Quite a lot of developing actions have been implemented in the area of the Baixo Mondego. These actions have been accomplished in the sequence of the hydro-agricultural works carried on in the beginning of 70's, which had a clear influence not only on the local economy and in the way of managing the territory, but in landscape and environmental impacts as weIl. In order to analyse these impacts, the matrices of interaction (also known as Leopold's matrices) method has been used. With the construction of three of these matrices, it was possible to examine the environmental conditions of the Baixo Mondego, as weIl as the impacts and the main threats it is subject to at present, using a holistic and integrated analysis. From it il' s possible to estimate the significant importance that the alterations in Campo -namely those in agricultural techniques -have been causing in the unbalance of the remaining ecological systems in the Baixo Mondego. The strong negative impacts are related to the extraction and transforming industries and urban growth. On the other hand, agriculture and fishing (and even activities such as tourism) show a less negative balance in the impacts they give rise to; they represent important foundations regarding economic development and the defence of natural and cultural patrimony.