Use of GIS in Selecting Suitable Tree Crop Cultivation Sites in Mountainous Less Favoured Areas: An Example from Greece

The aim of this paper is the selection of suitable tree crop cultivation sites in mountainous less favoured areas, as a forest policy measure under the scope of sustainable development. Ten different crop types were proposed as being most suitable in the study area, Pierion Municipal Unit, which is located in the Municipality of Katerini, in the Pieria Prefecture of Greece. In order to determine the most suitable sites for cultivation, data layers that involved the factors of topography, climate, pedology and geology were derived from existing maps and free-of-charge datasets, so that they could be consequently processed with the aid of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The data processing was performed by following criteria, which were established in accordance with the current literature and were translated into Boolean algebra expressions. The latter helped to identify locations where the values of the factors that were employed were most favourable for the cultivation of walnut trees (Juglans sp.), olive trees (Olea sp.), cherry trees (Prunus sp.), apple (Malus sp.), dogwood trees (Cornus sp.), pomegranate trees (Punica sp.), chestnut trees (Castanea sp.) and other crop types. Moreover, the resulting map indicated that the majority of the suitable sites for cultivation were considered favourable for growing walnut trees (24.9%), followed by cherry trees (19.6%) and olive trees (12.1%). Proposing the most suitable cultivations within the study area contributes to forest policy planning and promotes the sustainable development of mountainous less favoured areas, leading to a more rational management of natural resources, a raised awareness of environmental protection, the maintenance of the local population and income enhancement through the production of high quality crops and sustainable yields.