An analysis of the potential for military zones to be used as green spaces in the Ankara metropolitan area (Türkiye)

Abstract

Abstract Urban periphery belts play a crucial role in preserving the morphological characteristics of cities. These belts often encompass various zones, including designated Military Zones, each of which contributes to structural integrity of urban spaces. Due to the vast expanse of military areas and associated security concerns, the relocation of these zones to the city’s outskirts is a recurring topic of discussion in Türkiye. Presuming the occurrence of such a possibility, how these zones will transform into functional urban spaces in terms of urban morphology is going to be vital. This study focuses on the potential of converting military zones in the urban periphery of Ankara into green spaces, highlighting the importance of such transformations for urban ecology and the preservation of green areas. To identify the existing green spaces within the military zones of the study area, vegetation indices such as Sentinel-2’s NDVI, NDMI, GCI, RVI, NDBI, and NISI were utilized, and comprehensive green space analyses were conducted. The findings indicate that the current green space allocation per capita in the region is 5 m2. However, when military zones are incorporated as regional parks alongside existing urban green spaces, this figure increases significantly to 14.4 m² per person. Additionally, to determine the accessibility of military zones converted into regional parks in terms of walking distance and their serviceable radius, several analyses have also been conducted. The conversion of military zones into regional parks and the development of related projects in Ankara would provide substantial benefits from a public policy perspective.