Leopold matrix
Encyclopedia
The Leopold matrix is a qualitative environmental impact assessment
method pioneered in 1971. It is used to identify the potential impact of a project on the environment
. The system consists of a matrix with columns representing the various activities of the project, and rows representing the various environmental factors to be considered. The intersections are filled in to indicate the magnitude (from -10 to +10) and the importance (from 1 to 10) of the impact of each activity on each environmental factor.
Measurements of magnitude and importance tend to be related, but do not necessarily directly correlate. Magnitude can be measured, in terms of how much area is affected by the development
and how badly, but importance is a more subjective measurement. While a proposed development may have a large impact in terms of magnitude, the effects it causes may not actually significantly effect the environment as a whole. The example given by Leopold is of a stream
that significantly alters the erosion patterns in a specific area, which will have a significant magnitude, but may not be important, provided the stream in question is swift moving and transports large amounts of soil
anyway. In this case, an impact of significant magnitude may not actually be important to the environment in question.
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
method pioneered in 1971. It is used to identify the potential impact of a project on the environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
. The system consists of a matrix with columns representing the various activities of the project, and rows representing the various environmental factors to be considered. The intersections are filled in to indicate the magnitude (from -10 to +10) and the importance (from 1 to 10) of the impact of each activity on each environmental factor.
Measurements of magnitude and importance tend to be related, but do not necessarily directly correlate. Magnitude can be measured, in terms of how much area is affected by the development
Land development
Land development refers to altering the landscape in any number of ways such as:* changing landforms from a natural or semi-natural state for a purpose such as agriculture or housing...
and how badly, but importance is a more subjective measurement. While a proposed development may have a large impact in terms of magnitude, the effects it causes may not actually significantly effect the environment as a whole. The example given by Leopold is of a stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
that significantly alters the erosion patterns in a specific area, which will have a significant magnitude, but may not be important, provided the stream in question is swift moving and transports large amounts of soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
anyway. In this case, an impact of significant magnitude may not actually be important to the environment in question.