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Landscape Planning Studio
MASTER
PLAN
MASTER PLAN
MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
1- To maintain the diverse wild plant and animal communities of Jabal Batharah & Wadi Turubah without further degradation;
2- to conserve the perennial streams and wetland habitats without further degradation by pollution or depletion;
3- to safeguard the site’s natural processes and the ecosystem benefits they generate as watersheds, seedbanks, and soil formation;
4- to restore degraded habitats; and sustainable use of the site for nature based recreation and ecotourism, and for managed rotational grazing.
5- Prohibition of hunting, tree cutting, removal or destruction of key plants, earth grading, rubbish dumping and litter.
6- Establishment of an educational visitor’s center with a school outreach program.
7- Establishment of a school to encourage the return of tribal families
COMPOSITE SUITABILITY MAP
The final step is the synthesis and interpretation of the previous data. The objective of the synthesis is to reveal the maximum conjunction of coexisting, compatible land uses that can be sustained by every area in the total study area. The result is a broad categorization, usually called a combined land use suitability map.
In order to establish the boundaries of the national park, with direct relation to the composite suitability map, we must first segment each landscape in the total study area, and rate them individually according to our criteria. Once that is done, these landscapes will be divided into one of 6 zones each, those being:
Core (Preservation) Zones (>80%)
Conservation Zones (70-79%)
Transition (Eco-Tourism) Zones (60-69%)
Low Development Zones (50-59%)
Medium Development Zones (40-49%)
Cultural Reserve Systems (<39%)
LANDSCAPE
Main Wadis
W. Turubah
W. Aradah
W.Turubah az-Zahran
Secondary Wadis
W. as-Sayilah
W. Kidd
W.Mahwah
W.at-Taraf
W.Shahtah
Mountains
J.Batharah
J.al-Rudmah
J.Damwa
J. Al-Baraq
J. Sardan
J. Az-Zaml
J.Shumrukh
J.Jamad
Watersheds
W.Turubah
W.Aradah
W. Kidd
W. Turubah az-Zahran
Remote Ridges and Valleys
Farms and Terraces
TOTAL
(%)
91
79
84
55
75
49
54
49
96
43
68
71
61
63
66
63
84
64
79
79
55
39
DIVERSITY
(15%)
15
12
13
4
15
3
3
3
15
4
4
4
2
4
8
8
15
10
15
12
9
4
RARITY
(15%)
15
10
15
6
11
6
5
7
15
4
11
11
4
3
9
8
15
12
14
14
8
5
FRAGILITY
(15%)
11
9
13
7
8
6
13
9
14
12
12
14
15
15
11
12
13
9
8
8
8
1
ECOLOGICAL
FUNCTION
(15%)
15
12
14
13
12
11
12
10
15
9
9
13
14
14
13
13
13
12
12
14
8
3
TYPICALNESS
(10%)
8
8
7
8
8
6
4
5
9
3
8
7
7
7
7
7
5
5
9
7
3
7
SCIENTIFIC
VALUE
(5%)
5
5
4
5
5
4
3
2
5
2
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
3
4
5
2
4
SIGNIFICANCE
(5%)
5
4
4
3
4
3
2
1
5
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
4
4
2
5
1
SCENIC VALUE
(5%)
3
4
3
4
5
4
3
2
5
3
3
4
4
4
5
3
4
4
5
5
2
5
SIZE
(5%)
5
4
4
2
1
2
1
1
4
1
4
3
4
1
2
1
5
2
1
3
5
5
SUITABILITY GENERALIZATION
PROGRAM ZONING
CORE
zone
Permitted Uses:
• Nature observation.
• Interpretation and guided walking trips in daylight hours.
• Scientific research with permits.
Excluded Uses
• Permanent lodging or any construction or development activities.
• Mining.
• Animal grazing.
• Hunting or disturbing wildlife.
• Collecting or damaging natural materials, vegetation, or habitats.
Other Restrictions
• Visitation only with authorization, and with orientation and accompaniment by experienced, well-trained, naturalist guide.
• The guide-to-group size ratio never exceeds 1 to 10.
• The maximum size of a visiting group will depend upon the fragility of the surroundings.
• Authorized vehicles only.
• No paved roads.
BUFFER
zone
Permitted Uses
• Traditional uses of indigenous villagers
• Hiking trails.
• Special services for ecotourism.
• Mobile camps.
• Emergency services are allowed.
• Controlled and regulated fishing for local fishermen.
Excluded Uses
• Fixed accommodation.
• Mining activity.
• Hunting or disturbing of wildlife.
• Collecting or damaging vegetation or habitats.
Other Restrictions
• Visitation only with authorization, and with orientation and accompaniment by experienced, well-trained, naturalist guide.
• The guide-to-group size ratio never exceeds 1 to 10.
• The maximum size of a visiting group will depend upon the fragility of the surroundings and the seasonality of species.
• Authorized vehicles only.
• No new paved roads.
TRANSITION
zone
Permitted Uses
• Resource management activities.
- Guided walks and programs led by trained guides will be offered and enhanced in the staging areas.
• Ecotourism facilities:
- A limited number of small ecolodges (i.e., not exceeding 20 rooms each) will be accepted in the transition areas.
- The total carrying capacity of these lodges should not exceed 20 rooms per million square meters in the back areas
- Environmental best practices should be followed by proposed ecolodges in all aspects: the development process, the design, implementation, and operational phases, including waste management, recycling, and energy use.
• Pre-existing settlements of local people.
• Animal grazing.
• Pre-existing mining activities.
Excluded Uses
• Hunting and disturbing wildlife.
• Collecting or damaging natural resources.
• New mining activities.
• Traditional development activities.
CONCEPT
MATRICES
