GAME Model: GIS-based Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation; an unbiased and transparent approach for sustainable resource development and management

A study of landuse necessitates a careful consideration of the factors that determine its appropriateness, and more importantly, its sustainability. These include factors such as location, physical, hydrometeorology, environmental and socio-economic. For instance landuse impacts like sediment yield (i.e. soil erosion) is perhaps the most important indicator of the physical effects of land management. Thus, the success and eventual acceptability of a particular landuse depends on the expected amount of degradation that will result from its implementation. Arguably, the most economical and effective means to combat soil erosion is to avoid erosion-susceptible situations. The key then is to identify susceptible areas through the application of a model that estimates the contributions of the above-mentioned factors to land degradation. The analysis of land capability implemented by comparing an estimate of land degradation with a tolerance limit. The tolerance limit prescribes the threshold for agricultural productivity above which necessitates leaving the area for forest use purposes. To operationalize the analytical procedure, a system for geodatabasing the general characteristics of the land for assessment, monitoring and evaluation was developed. The description of the landscape is carried out using the vector approach - a new method for comprehensively describing all aspects about the landscape. The description is based on the comprehensive database developed by Revilla, (2000). The basic unit is a 1 km by 1 km grid divided into 25-hectare quadrants. The vector approach enriches the description of the landscape by increasing the precision of the record unit through the various levels of the GAME model. The increased resolution (i.e. smaller vector cells) allows the capture of important phenomena that occur at bigger scales. Thus, geographic phenomena can be described in greater detail. The GAME model provides a transparent methodology for resource assessment, monitoring and evaluation. The geodatabase component allows for a comprehensive accomodation of relevant data and information. The mapping component, on the other hand, enables rapid visualization of the landscape. Thus, the status of natural resources (e.g. forest cover) can be readily assessed. As a performance indicator, the progress of relevant projects (e.g. forest renewal) can be monitored. And the quality of natural resources and the impact of interventions (e.g. forest conversion) can be evaluated.