The evaluation of the middle part of the Amanos mountains in terms of natural habitat, socio-economic activties, protection criteria and environmental education

Our world, in which we live, has a quite sensitive balance and it is not only a source of life for human beings, but also for all other living beings. In this century, modern tecnology has provided people with an infinite opportunity to make use of nature; the endless ego and greed of human being has led us to come face to face with a certain number of undesired events from the spoiled natural balance to the extinction of the species. Seeking solutions to these problems related to the whole world has started in the near past; international meetings and lectures have been organized, and in the frame of some treaties certain steps have been taken to prevent or at least to lessen the extiction of the naturel sources and biodiversityGetting benefit from natural habitat in the frame of sustainable principles can only be possible with analyzing the features of natural habitat one by one and evaluating the results as a whole; and with planning the use of natural habitat and source values in the frame of protection usage balance.İn this study by examining the natural habitat and socio-economic relationships in the milde part of the Amanos Mountains , the evaluation in the frame of protection criteria was made, and the planning of the protection strategies in the sustainable area was aimed.Located in the Mediterranen Region of our country, The Amanos Mountains with their instrinctive biodiversity is one of our country?s naturally unspoiled or one of the least damaged areas.Besides its higly colored geologic and geomorphologic features, the area costitutes one of the most important areas in terms of plant varieties and diversity . As a matter of fact, the area is the very south point with its beech forests where the beechs are seen as groups.Besides, the Amanos Mountains have unique landscape beauty with both its flora and its quite narrow and deeply cracked valleys. The area is of gerat importance in tourism potential with its spas and thermal springs located in Erzin in addition to plateus the native residents benefit in summer and the traditional life style of the native residentsIn this study , the natural environmental features (geologic, lithologic, geomorfologic, soil, climatic, hydrologic, and hydrographic features) and socio economic features (population, settlement, economic features) of the Amanos Mountains were first examined one by one, and then with a cumulative perspective,. The area in the light of these features was evaluated in terms of protective creteria and planned as a biosphere reserve field .