Consequences of urban pressure on the organisation of landscapes. The case of the Chartreuse Massif

Abstract

This study analyses the spatial changes observed in a rural mountainous areas (Chartreuse Natural Park) due to urban pressure from two main nearest towns (Grenoble and Chambery). First the land use was observed and compared on aerial photography in the period 1981-2003. This work was made on eight districts of the Chartreuse area distinguishing two level of urban pressure. The results show a marked decrease of agricultural lands when the urban areas and forests (afforestation from land abandonment) clearly increase. The direct link between the urban pressure and the extent of the urban fabric don't appear distinctly. On the other hand, it seems that there is a positive effect of urban pressure on the land abandonment. So the influence of urbanisation and its economic land pressure have negative consequences on agricultural activities. The study show also that the decline of the agricultural lands goes with significant landscape changes such as a decrease of the numbers and the lengths of hedges and a decrease of agricultural clearings in woody lands. Moreover, the changing lands are mainly located in the flattest areas. Finally, the results lead to problems concerning the agricultural activities more and more confined on sloping and low accessible areas.