Large urban transformation projects and their impacts, advantanges and damages. The case of the Riverine Avenue in Posadas City

La finalidad de este estudio es analizar la cuestión de los Grandes Proyectos de Transformación Urbana y sus impactos, negativos y positivos, en las ciudades donde se implementan. Específicamente, se realizó el análisis del caso de la Costanera de Posadas. La temática se aborda tanto desde la concepción de la planificación estratégica sustentable como de la idea de ciudad compacta y del modelo de producción de ciudad. Para tal cometido, se analizaron normativas, documentos y trabajos previos, se diseñaron entrevistas con referentes ligados a la obra y se utilizaron encuestas de opinión. Como principales conclusiones, podemos decir que la transformación de la Costanera trajo tanto impactos positivos como negativos. Entre los beneficios, pocos dudan en señalar que la obra implicó tanto una renovación estético-turística como la aparición de una nueva centralidad. Así, se dejó de lado la “Posadas baja”, abnegada y marginal, para dar lugar al “Paseo de la Costanera”, atracción obligada acompañada de atardeceres indelebles y brisas relajantes a orillas del río Paraná. Además, ante la elevación de la cota de la represa Yacyretá, la transformación previno inundaciones inevitables. Sin embargo, trajo como consecuencia una ciudad menos compacta con gran dependencia del uso del auto, generó un proceso de periferización y, a la vez, perjuicios insondables para las familias relocalizadas.The main purpose of this research is to analyze the issues with Large Urban Transformation Projects, also their positive and negative impacts in the cities where they take place. Specifically, it was made an evaluation over the study case of The Riverine Avenue in Posadas City. The topic was addressed, not only from the conception of a sustainable strategic urban planning, but also with the idea of a compact city including its production model. To do that, regulations, documentation and previous essays were analyzed. Moreover, opinion surveys and interviews with builders were conduct. As principal conclusion, we must say that the transformation on the Riverine Avenue brought both positive and negative impacts. Among benefits, nobody doubts to mention the aesthetic-tourist renovation plus the change into a convergent central point of the location. There was a transformation from a marginal, poor suburb into an attraction, a must place to go with unforgettable dusks and relaxing breeze on the bank of Paraná River called “Riverine Walking Path”. What is more, this transformation also prevents unavoidable floods coming from the elevation of Yacyretá`s dam bank. However, consequently, these changes derive in a less compact city with a more dependent car usage. In addition, the relocation of thousands of families that used to occupy this area generates a lot of immeasurable harm that carries a process of enlargement of the peripheral suburbs

From leaves to landscape: A multiscale approach to assess fire hazard in wildland-urban interface areas

The overlapping zone between urbanization and wildland vegetation, known as the wildland urban interface (WUI), is often at high risk of wildfire. Human activities increase the likelihood of wildfires, which can have disastrous consequences for property and land use, and can pose a serious threat to lives. Fire hazard assessments depend strongly on the spatial scale of analysis. We assessed the fire hazard in a WUI area of a Patagonian city by working at three scales: landscape, community and species. Fire is a complex phenomenon, so we used a large number of variables that correlate a priori with the fire hazard. Consequently, we analyzed environmental variables together with fuel load and leaf flammability variables and integrated all the information in a fire hazard map with four fire hazard categories. The Nothofagus dombeyi forest had the highest fire hazard while grasslands had the lowest. Our work highlights the vulnerability of the wildland-urban interface to fire in this region and our suggested methodology could be applied in other wildland-urban interface areas. Particularly in high hazard areas, our work could help in spatial delimitation policies, urban planning and development of plans for the protection of human lives and assets.Fil: Ghermandi, Luciana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Beletzky, Natacha A.. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: de Torres Curth, Monica Irma. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Reg.universidad Bariloche. Departamento de Matemática; ArgentinaFil: Oddi, Facundo José. Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Rio Negro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Rio Negro; Argentin