Turkish Journal of Forestry (Sep 2020)
Investigation of sustainable utilization from wetlands and their surroundings in abandoned mining sites: Istanbul case study
Abstract
The rapid increase in the world population, developments in industry and technology have caused an increase and diversification of economic needs. This situation revealed a huge need for raw materials and increased the demand for mining activities. In this study, it was aimed to examine the sustainable utilization from the wetlands and their surroundings formed in the abandoned mining areas by considering the local people. In this context, the research was carried out in the sample of Istanbul. Within the scope of the determined sample, questionnaire forms were developed for four different interest groups. The questionnaire studies were conducted in four different stakeholder groups, with 136 respondents in total, via e-mail or face-to-face interview technique. The people to be interviewed or surveyed in each group were determined in the full area according to the Conscious Sampling Method. The main material of the research consists of the data obtained from the questionnaire application and interviews, and the data obtained from the relevant institutions and web pages. The data were evaluated with descriptive statistics. Whether there is a difference in the opinions of the respondents in terms of various socio-economic groups was controlled by Kruskal-Wallis H-Test and different groups were determined by Duncan Test. Within the scope of the research, the using of this type areas as the thematic parks and recreation areas appears to be the most suitable options. The using of this type areas in this way will both contribute to the employment and economy of the city people and minimize the harmful effects that may arise as a result of mining activities. The main purpose in terms of the functions of the new recreation areas to be created is primarily to protect and maintain the plant and animal species and diversity of the region where it is located. Regarding this type of areas, it is necessary to develop the necessary legal arrangements, to benefit from the expert teams in rehabilitation works and scientific methods in applications and to develop the cooperation with the relevant institutions for the utilization at the highest level.
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