Coupling the indicators of ecological value and of ecological sensitivity with some indicators of demographic pressure in the individuation of new areas to be protect

The ecological value and the ecological sensitivity of the habitats of a given landscape are essential and preliminary dimensions to be considered in planning and conservation policy. Using a methodology suggested by the Commission of the European Community (CORINE Biotopes manual, habitats of the European Community. A method to identify and describe consistently sites of major importance for nature conservation), a network of 25,318 CORINE Biotopes habitats was identified in an area 321,845 ha in Northern Italy (Oltrepò Oavese and Ligurian-Emilian Apennine). All the habitats were evaluated using a set of nine indicators for both ecological value and ecological sensitivity, and a sub-group of 528 habitat whit both the greatest value and the greatest sensitivity was identified using the Ideal Vector method. We defined these 528 habitats as HOT SPOTS of Ecological Attention. A sustainable conservation policy for the Hot Spots needs a third dimension given by the trend (positive, neutral or negative) of the human pressure on the habitats. intensity and direction of the uman pressure on the area studied were derived through demographic analysis of recent official data. by also taking into account, the results of the demographic analysis, a more realistic policy for the Hot Spots can be discussed and proposed.