Determination of cultural ecosystem services through participatory approach in protected areas

The insufficiency of green spaces in urban areas, along with the desire to visit rural areas outside the city, has increased interest in protected natural areas such as national parks, nature parks, and nature reserves. Among protected natural areas, national parks offer numerous cultural ecosystem services (CES) for societal well-being. Identifying the areas where CES are provided in national parks is essential for the sustainability of these protections. Mapping and identifying areas and activities that hold value for visitors in protected natural areas contribute to the sustainability and management of natural landscapes. In this thesis, to determine CES values in Kızıldağ National Park located in Isparta, 458 surveys were conducted online and face-to-face using Partimap, an online survey interface, within a participatory approach. For the statistical analysis of the results, SPSS was used, and for spatial analyses, QGIS, a GIS-based and open-source program, was employed. Based on the findings, the locations/areas that users deemed most valuable in terms of CES in Kızıldağ National Park were the Cedar Forest, Gedikli Village, and Melikler Plateau, respectively.