The effect of the forest road network on grassland ecosystems with the contribution of the SWOT-AHP method

Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou St., 68200 Orestiada, Greece

^* Corresponding author: cntaouti@fmenr.duth.gr

Abstract

Forest road edges are habitats for many grassland species because these species grow in open environments with sufficient light. The study area was the Regional Unit of Kavala (Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece). The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) were recorded according to the literature review and the criteria were also ranked using the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method. According to the comparison of the SWOT criteria, Strengths occupy a percentage of 43.6%, followed by Weaknesses and Threats with a percentage of 24.5% and 17.3% respectively. Opportunities have the smallest percentage (14.6%). Regarding the sub-criteria of Strengths, the sub-criteria “The edges of forest roads protect high plant diversity, and a significant degree of endemism” ranks first with a percentage of 32.4%. From the comparison of the sub-criteria of Weaknesses, the sub-criteria “Forest roads create gaps by removing vegetation and divide the ecosystem” occupies the first place with a percentage of 37.9%. After comparing the sub-criteria of Opportunities, the sub-criterion “Through the forest road network there is access to new areas (grassland ecosystems)” receives the largest percentage (46.6%). The biggest Threat is the sub-criterion “The road network probably contributes to global macroclimate change” with a percentage of 52.4%.