GET, in the context of the BIO2CARE project “Strengthening Protected Areas Management Capacity through an Innovative Sustainability Methodology” implemented under the Interreg Greece-Bulgaria 2014-2020 Program from the Department of Production and Management Engineering of the Democritus University of Thrace, undertook the implementation of a software for the calculation of possible symbiotic activities and relations between industries and enterprises located in the protected areas.
The software supports the main action of BIO2CARE project which is the development of decision supporting tools, which will enable identification and understanding of anthropogenic activities and pressures in the ecosystem of the protected areas. This tool, in conjunction with the other tools developed for the project, will help to improve our knowledge, enhance collaboration and curb the environmental pressures in protected areas, and thus ultimately, improve their environmental status.
The software is an online application that provides an interface to the BIO2CARE methodology for the estimation industrial symbiotic activities in the protected areas.
The software was developed using free and open source software and tools like PostgreSQL, Geoserver and GET SDI Portal. The tool supports multiple registered users which are located in the area. The provided tools enable initially to provide information about the industrial / commercial activities in the area, including inputs and outputs. Then, the users can search for activities that might support symbiotic relations based on common input / outputs. This possible symbiotic activities between entities that are in vicinity can reduce the production cost and thus the environmental footprint of these activities.
