The Generalized Reserve Set Covering Problem with Connectivity and Buffer Requirements

The design of nature reserves is becoming, more and more, a crucial task for ensuring the conservation endangered wildlife. In order to guarantee preservation species general ecological functioning, designed must typically verify series spatial requirements. Among required characteristics, practitioners researchers have pointed out two aspects: (i) connectivity, so as avoid fragmentation, (ii) buffer zones surrounding (or protecting) so-called core areas. this paper, we introduce Generalized Reserve Set Covering Problem with Connectivity Buffer Requirements. This problem extends classical allows address these requirements simultaneously. A solution framework based on Integer Linear Programming branch-and-cut developed. enhanced by valid inequalities, construction primal heuristic local branching. are presented in modular way allow select constraints fitting their needs analyze effect e.g., only enforcing connectivity or zones. An extensive computational study grid-graph instances real-life data from three states U.S. one region Australia carried assess suitability proposed model deal challenges faced decision-makers natural reserve design. study, also effects structure solutions when just solving generalized version Problem. results show, hand, flexibility models provide according decision-makers’ requirements, other effectiveness devised algorithm providing good reasonable computing times.