Assessment of the Importance of the Ecosystem Services of Gölbaşı Special Environmental Protection Zone for the City of Ankara

Abstract

Owing to their natural, scientific, social, cultural and economic values, wetlands are sensitive ecosystems that need to be protected. This research aims to identify ecosystem services that the Mogan-Eymir Lakes wetland ecosystem, located in the “Gölbaşı Special Environmental Protection Zone (ÖÇKB)’ in the city center of Ankara, offers to the locals. Urban development in Ankara was seen to have made an impact on the ecosystem services of Mogan and Eymir Lakes. The research, therefore, has two main objectives: identification of the ecosystem services that the Mogan and Eymir lakes provide to Ankara, and the impact that urban development has had on these services. A mixed research methodology was applied to reach the aims of this research. Data was obtained by carrying out a survey with a representative sample group. Maps were created using the software ArcGIS 10.1 to understand the urban development of Ankara in detail. Participants were observed at the research site to test the research findings. In-depth interviews were conducted with stakeholders related to the research field. The data obtained was divided into categories and sub-themes through the software Maxqda 2020. The research revealed the various provisioning, regulating and cultural services offered by the lakes especially to those living in the city of Ankara. Finally, the information collected during the research has been comprehensively analysed by taking into consideration the possible impacts of urban development in the vicinity of the lakes.

Keywords

• : gölbaşı special environmental protection zone
• lake mogan
• lake eymir
• wetlands
• ecosystem services