Human-Altered Landscape towards Country’s Sustainable Environment Vision

Photo 01, Human-Altered Landscape of Mshreib Metro Rail Station (credit, Qatar Rail)

“The human-altered landscape construction (Photo 01) is a landscape dynamic concept being applied in the study of landscape ecology, and with all the applications brought the spread of disturbances in the country towards urbanism can’t be denied, but the inclusion of green building and urban greening policies in align with the UNDP Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requirements in the process through landscape planning, design, and environmental management is a must towards a sustainable environment.”

Conceptual Plan into Realization

The photo image above (Figure 01) can be described as one of the human-altered landscapes being done and changed due to the result of complexity and demand in the country, which are now with multi-scalar interactions between humankind and the natural environment. Although the environment is a desert land by default, however, the desert ecosystem is part of the so-called landscape dynamics with their own perspective and though, with the intervention of landscape planning, design and management applies in the modern strategy working within the construction environment, which had been developed in the past decades towards their economic landscape visions and further, the government is still developing other areas of interest throughout the country for the benefits in serving not only the Qatari citizens but the migrant’s citizens and the tourists living and working in the country for individual purposes may have.

Over the decade, the development is a continuous process and integration of the latest technology ever happening in the construction environment in Doha, Qatar. Figure 01 is the dynamic of a human-altered landscape resulting in a resilient returning the pre-perturbation state after concentrated disturbance into a newly developed modern landscape in the desert environment. The soil had been excavated of about 20 to 30-meters depth from the national datum and according to the design planning, this is to allow the structures and the services requirements to form a subway landscape and human building access.

Photo 02, Restored Metro Rail Station towards SDGs No 9/11 Connectivity (credit, Qatar Rail)

And as part of their built-up design planning within the a construction environment, the human-altered landscapes had been developed thoroughly with resilience towards sustainable landscape properties that defines stability for the country. Moreover, the Subway Train Project is finished and has been in operation now since 2-months ago for the 3-lines (Gold Line, Red Line, and Green Line) connectivity throughout the country, which means, human-alterations returning to a successful recovery following disturbances of the desert landscape serving the Qatari citizens and the migrant’s citizens working and living in the country. The principles and policies being applied in the development of the human-altered landscapes, which can be said as part of the UNDP Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) compliance has had with SDGoal No 9 for the Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; as well as SDGoal No 11 for the Sustainable Cities and Communities by creating major mass transportation, and that means connectivity of points in either direction without compromising between municipalities and stations.

Also, landscape development will serve also in the preparation for the 2022 World Cup in the country. Nonetheless, creating a sustainable environment with that vision as a nation builder is a benefit to all but for the country’s economic landscape. However, it is indeed, with all the construction happening is a sign of development that will benefit in serving the Qatari citizens and the migrant’s citizens working and living in the country, and therefore, by providing quality of life will escalate the country's economic landscape growth and revenues whom the government initiatives and dedication as a nation builder to the world.

Methodological View

The author, again, has been in Qatar since 2004 and observes what's happening in the whole country for all the projects being envisioned into a structured realism, whereas a proud to say that has become part of every project held in every company's employment as part of the author’s progression & connectivity.

However, with all the human-altered landscapes environment through construction progression in the country has no effect within the landscape biodiversity since the covered area is a true desert ecosystem and has no record on whatever impact on soil degradation or even natural forestry but collaboration into a sustainable aspect towards urban greening policy following the environmental impact assessment (EIA) prior to where the project/s are being constructed as part of the infrastructure development within the desert ecosystem. The EIA aims have to present a concise an account of the main issues and resilience development, which may have a significantly adverse impact on the environment.

In summary for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) towards human-altered landscapes environment, therefore, the methodological view in the construction environment must be implemented accordingly in fulfillment of the main objectives of the followings:

• Establish the existing environmental conditions at the site and in the immediate vicinity that would be potentially affected by the proposed development structurally and human services access;

• Identify and document the potential effects, both positive and negative, that may arise from the construction and application of related sustainable development that includes the proposed urban greening policy in the project within the desert landscape, but taking into account the size and location, the sensitivity of the local environment and the requirements of Statutory authorities;

• Assess priority impacts of noise and odour for the site and its immediate surroundings; and

• To identify and evaluate measures that may be employed to mitigate adverse impacts.

Photo 03, Human-Altered Landscape of Subway Rail Transportation (credit, Qatar Rail)

Results and Discussions

Figure 01 has an ecosystem implication progressively; however, the importance of the said development is having with pure landscape planning, design, and environmental management planning which will give an essential factor for the scheduled 24/7 working overtime in making the project's resilience towards a sustainable environment. And because of the unending construction activities in the country have consequently led to the transformation anew from a desert landscape into a sustainable economic class landscape environment in align with the urban greening policy implementation and in compliance with the UNDP Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with SDGoal No 9 for the Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; and the SDGoal No 11 for the Sustainable Cities and Communities. Moreover, Qatar's now is one of the amazing countries in terms of development they have produced in decades whereas the transformation following human-altered landscapes construction as one of the richest in the world.

With the landscape dynamic concepts have been happening not only in Qatar but in the whole world, according to Turner et al. (2001), the disturbance that has been done can be defined as “any relatively discrete event in time that disrupts ecosystem, community, or population structure and changes resource availability, substrate, or the physical environment.”  Moreover, the disturbances are often described by Turner as a variety of attributes that includes the spatial distribution, frequency, spatial extent, and the magnitude within the ecosystem. Accordingly, the spread of disturbance and spatial patterns of recovery have received considerable attention in landscape ecology, and thus, recovery and resilience path.

The human-altered landscape construction (Figure 01) is the Msheireb Metro Station being featured as an example of progression during the construction stage and up to the finishing stage, which is now in operational for the three-lines (Gold Line, Red Line, and Green Line) from different directions, whereas already commissioned as part of today's ways of mass transportation for the citizens and migrant citizens subsidized by Qatar government. Nonetheless, the construction progression of the Doha Metro Rail Project was one of the biggest fast track infrastructures that had been developed over time in the country, which, as an observer and part of the development can be said, amazing development.

The main goal of the country’s innovation is to support the community by providing connectivity between townships through means of mass transportation and as part of the sustainable development of Qatar's government commitment. The Qatar Rail Company had been implemented in the project successfully.

The development was started last 2013 when the author was still employed with the United Consultants then by 2015-2018 was with the ARCADIS/Hyder and involved in the Gold Line Metro Rail building services design and build project. A 24/7 task to complete the project within the given timeframe.

Conclusion

Furtherance and with the development of the project, it was the Qatar government and the rest is with the Ministry of Environment has initiated the implementation of green building and urban greening policies to sustain a sustainable environment by providing not only for having mass transportation but connectivity between townships. And thereby, with the environmental impact assessment (EIA) coherently defined environmental law compliance towards the ecological aspect in developing and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requirements, which was progressively completed as we can see how the subway train operational works at low fare for the passengers.

The developmental process and advocacy are for long term sustainability initiatives of Qatar, and because of successful transformation following human-altered landscapes in the desert environment, this will benefit all Qatari citizens and the migrant’s citizens working and living in the country sustainably.

However, due to the increasing human population and its demands for the resources they need, the government vehemently continues to escalate the progress not only in mass transportation but through the country’s urbanism. And because of the opportunities brought by the country in the construction sector even though the environment is a desert land by default, the migrating workers are coming every day in helping the nation to build the required visions. Hence, this will have the ultimate means that the said landscape will likely become increasingly fragmented for whatever biological organisms and ecological processes in spite of the location is a desert environment (photo 02/03).

Recommendations

With all the aspirations happening now and all the changes have been done in the country, the process of environmental possibilism that caused due to human-altered landscapes have become resilience from a desert land into country’s urbanism, and with all the technological aspect being applied in today’s construction vehemently recovers more than the usual environment they have in the past decades.

Moreover, and since the spread of disturbances in the country towards urbanism, the spatial patterns of recovery has been considered within the landscape ecology to form a versatile into a sustainable environment, and thus, on whatever human-altered landscapes occurrence, the application of green building and urban greening policies are highlighted. Most importantly and highly recommend that the said policies must be included in the process through landscape planning, design and environmental management incorporating the modern strategic application working within the construction environment.

Therefore, in the landscape dynamics, we learned, concept changes must be implemented with law and order towards a sustainable environment that every citizen deserves to live and just.

Write-Up Reference can be Read from this Link;

Gomeseria, RV; (January 2020); “Human-Altered Landscape towards Country's Sustainable Environment Vision;” Retrieved from; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338390617_Human-Altered_Landscape_towards_Country's_Sustainable_Environment_Vision