Οικονομική της χαρτογράφησης των φυσικών πόρων - η περίπτωση του δασολογίου
Authors: Παλάσκας Δημήτριος 
Published: January 2014

In this study an effort was made for an extended research on the economic issues related to the natural resources mapping in the framework of “Dasologio”. This dissertation is split up in three parts: 1. General Part, of bibliography reviewing and recording the current situation in technical, economic and legal matters 2. Special Part, of methodology and presentation of the technical and economic data 3. Results Part, of methodology developing, processing of experimental data, calculations and estimation of results etc The fuzzy framework of the forest definition, although been included in the 24th Article of the Greek Constitution, added a serious problem among others (resources deficiency and lack of political will), resulting the continuing weakness of the State to compile the “Dasologio”, been a constitutional command since the year 2001. Moreover, the characterization of the land areas from the forest view is going through a complex grid of enactments, which is enriched by the environmental case-law of the Council of the State. In the general definition matters the most important differences between the Forest Cadastre, the Forest Maps and the “Dasologio” were explained, along with some basic definitions of cartography, costing and productivity of the production process. After a short historical review of cartography, remote sensing and G.I.S, an analysis was conducted of the land types classification systems, focused on the Canada's National Forest Inventory classification system. Also, the mapping projects carried out in Greece were mentioned, along with the infrastructures of the competent bodies and specially those of the Ministry of Agriculture. Special reference was made about the suitability of the various mapping methods for the “Dasologio” compiling, mainly examining the remote sensing methods in accordance with the crucial criteria of forest cover, vegetation height and forest species. It was found that in experimental level it is possible to record most of the required information related to the “Dasologio” but as for operational implementation no safe conclusions exist so far. In all the cases the field checks is necessary. Especially for the Greek conditions with the property issues remaining unsolved, field work should be obligatory in large scale the forest mapping, taking into account the in-law consequences deriving by the areas characterization as forest land. Some technical issues were also mentioned (map scale, boundaries generalization), while special reference was given in the accuracy issues, including the weird framework of the current technical specifications of the National Cadastre Forest Maps. A case study of some mapping projects was presented with available productivity and economic data reports, including cases such as the Forest Maps (0,3 "/ha total cost), the Corine Land Cover project (3,13 "/km!) and the Swiss 2nd Forest National Inventory. In the second part of the study, a special part is related to methodological approaches. A reference of the current trends in the research methodology is made (morphological analysis, stochastic modeling and simulation). Technical and economic data with important effect on the mapping economics are presented and processed in an analytical way (prices of satellite imagery, inflation rates, personnel wages etc). In a following chapter been placed between Methodology and results, methodology development is made., covering in detail the work measurement systems and time studies methodology. A technical cost model is presented compared to the classical Cobb Douglas production functions. The results of the Thesis were organized in 10 Chapters. 1. Initially, a research was made about the need of methodology adaptation or new methodology development to examine partial issues, as time studies, cost models, expert surveys etc, in accordance to mapping issues 2. From the experts survey useful views were disambiguated about general and special issues about the “Dasologio”. More than 60 experts from all over the country participated 3. A general framework for a new classification system for the needs of “Dasologio” is presented, deriving by the combination and adaption of the existing classification systems. 4. A research was made about the official Characterization Acts (a procedure substituting the “Dasologio”). It was found that more than 20.000 cases are examined by the forest personnel of the Forest Service, costing approximately 11 million euros annually. This cost is considered to be the main benefit gained by the Dasologio completion. 5. From the in-field and in-office time studies some productivity coefficients were calculated and verified with other studies, been used in the cost models. For example it was found that the locomotion speed in the field is less than other studies (about 1,00 km/h), while some models were developed with the ground inclination 6. The basic equipment used in the mapping methods was costed (vehicles, survey equipment, total stations, gps units, photogrammetric and remote sensing systems) and the hourly usage cost was calculated in relation with the occupation degree, the constant and variable cost ratio etc. Data simulation was used to evaluate alternative machinery 7. 2 technical cost models were developed in spreadsheets for the estimation of alternative mapping methods productivity and cost. Simulation models were incorporated to check the effect of uncertainty and extreme situations in the results. 8. A Cobb-Douglas production function for field mapping methods was developed by simulation data 9. The data analysis shows that productivity expressed in boundary length per hour (km/h) mapping is rather independent from the special conditions in each mapping area. Statistical analysis of several spatial indicators was made, such as boundaries density (km/km!) and average polygon. Moreover, the straight line parts in 1:5000 scale are approximately 25m. 10. Finally the technical and economical perspectives of “Dasologio” compiling are examined, with a first estimation of the total cost in the country level, under special preconditions. Data and results been presented in this dissertation can be used to investigate most of the technical and economic parameters related to the mapping procedure in general but also related to the “Dasologio” project especially.