Determination of the land uses by the ecological threshold analysis an experience in Bartın case

One of the major aspects of sustainable development; ?usage of natural resources withoutexhausting them? principle, is appropriated by the whole world and the space planningstrategies gained a new dimension utilizing natural resources and potential. In Turkey, it isalso necessary, to target a sustainable space development, to lead to ecological basis duringthe regional and local planning processes, to make the land use decisions connecting economyand ecology for sake of environment-sensitive life.In extent of this thesis; it was aimed at production of a speculative planning approach, whichconsiders natural data, and investigation of the land uses which have suitability of landspotentials. Determination of the land uses by the ecological threshold analysis constituted thetopic of the thesis. In the unsettled areas, for the orientation of the urban and sectoraldevelopment based on the natural resource potential, new land uses appropriate for the landresources potential were determined by the ecological threshold analysis in Bartın Provincewhere natural structure have been destructed as a result of misuse of land caused by thephysical plans which have not considered urbanization and natural resource values.In the research area, initially, problematic areas and the areas carrying ecological risks due tothe present land uses in the settled areas were determined by conducting a strategicenvironmental impact analysis. Natural resource potential which would orient the land uses inthe unsettled areas were evaluated by the ecological threshold analysis provided by usingecological evaluation methods of Mc Harg, Steinitz, Golany and Kiemstedt?s usage valueanalysis method in planning. Consequently potential land use maps were acquired.As a result product of this thesis study, 1/25000 scaled an ecological master plan includingnew land uses appropriate for the land potential, areas to be conserved and the problematicareas carrying ecological risks was prepared. This ecological master plan will orient the sub-scaled plans and decision making processes for Bartın. Precautions and proposals weredeveloped for the conservation of the problematic areas due to the misuse of land caused bythe physical plans which have not considered natural resource values in the research area.Proposals for the planning law and application processes were prepared.Key Words: Ecological threshold analysis, ecological planning, land use, strategicenvironmental impact assessment, strategic planning.