Landscape Fragmentation in the Free State of Saxony and the Surrounding Border Areas

Abstract

This arcticle shows the results of an analysis of landscape fragmentation in Saxony and adjoining regions with special attention to Saxony’s borders. The investigation uses GIS-methods in order to model the landscape fragmentation and to evaluate with spatial-statistical parameters. One result is that environmental analyse of landscape fragmentation should be based on areas defined by natural borders instead of political frontiers as large unfragmented areas still exist in cross border regions. These unfragmented areas should be taken into consideration in regional planning and planning of infrastructure. On the example of Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland problems of cross-border investigations of fragmentation and their development since 1900 are pointed out in detail. Thus it’s possible to show the development of landscape fragmentation in the region of this cross-border national park (D – CZ) during the last one hundred years. The regional study shows that the coherent consideration of large unfragmented areas across the political frontiers is necessary for further protection and development of nature.