Using Succolarity as a Measure of Slope Accessibility in Undeveloped Areas

The assessment of forest health and terrain usability is closely tied to slope accessibility. Current methods for evaluating terrain accessibility based solely on slope characteristics often lack precision and fail to capture the combined effects of topography and vegetation. This study introduces succolarity, together with succolarity reservoir and delta (Δ) succolarity, as fractal-based measures for assessing undeveloped land accessibility. The analysis focused on two test areas: the Ceahlău Mountains and the Blaj–Vulpăr Hills. Results revealed lower accessibility values for the Ceahlău Mountains (0.01 to 0.23 for slopes of 0–5° and 0–30°) compared to the Blaj–Vulpăr Hills (0.035 to 0.598 for the same ranges). These significant contrasts demonstrate that terrain fragmentation and compact forests act as decisive constraints, with slope predominating in mountains and vegetation in hilly areas. The findings are valuable for environmental agencies, emergency services, and research groups studying land morphology and mobility. Practical applications include infrastructure planning, sustainable land-use management, and strategic operations in remote terrains. Incorporating additional datasets (e.g., hydrographic networks, seasonal vegetation) and refining methodologies will further enhance succolarity-based assessments, supporting sustainable development in challenging environments.