Landscape change of the southern black sea coast beaches

Coastal areas, with diverse opportunities and services, have historically been centers of attraction for people's settlement and usage. Coastal tourism stands out as a significant source of economic income for many countries. Beaches, in particular, stand out as the most important component of coastal tourism. However, the uncontrolled growth in coastal tourism has brought about multifaceted problems such as landscape changes and exceeding carrying capacity on beaches. Due to geographic location, Türkiye possesses a significant coastal wealth. In recent years, climatic changes, rising average temperatures, and an increasing number of sunny days observed in the Black Sea Region have revitalized coastal tourism activities. Considering all these issues, this study examined land cover changes for 15 Blue Flag beaches and their surrounding areas on the Southern Black Sea Coast between 1984-1985 and 2021. According to the study's results, observed increases in impervious surface class indicated that all beach areas studied were exposed to anthropogenic pressures. Furthermore, field observations also indicated that these beaches had reached levels exceeding their carrying capacity. It was recommended that management strategies that ensure the effective participation of all stakeholders in the protection and development of beaches should be developed. It was also emphasized that land use changes should be continuously monitored and evaluated in the context of landscape changes.