GIS BASED DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS FOR THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF MINERAL AGGREGATE RESOURCES IN A HUMAN INFLUENCED LANDSCAPE

Management of mineral aggregate resources, from initial planning and protection of resource areas, to extraction and transport of aggregate products, to final rehabilitation of depleted sites, is a complex and contentious process in the rapidly urbanizing regions surrounding modern cities. This paper describes a GIS based decision-support system which can be used to model alternate protection, utilization and rehabilitation approaches and to identify opportunities to minimize land use conflicts, optimize long term access to resources and ensure the ecological sustainablity of the landscapes in which extraction occurs. LEAP II (Landscape Ecology Analysis Program)is a forest management application tool developed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, which has been adapted to model landscape dynamics and derive quantitative indices of landscape composition and pattern. Comparative evaluation of landscape indices for alternate extraction scenarios allows decision-makers and stakeholders to identify effective and ecologically sustainable management strategies for non-renewable geo-resources.