An ecologically based recreation tourism greenway planning: Erzincan Ekşisu reeds – Altıntepe and Saztepe tumuluses route

Today's uncontrolled increase in population, irregular urbanisation, and technological developments create disconnections in the landscape system. These fragmentations can only be avoided by establishing links. Corridors connect parts of landscape, prevent the landscape parts' destruction, and create spaces for the continuity of life. Corridor systems are planned not only for ecological but also cultural, historic and recreational usage. In this study, Eksisu Reeds which is located in Erzincan and Üzümlü, and its around corridor which covering the historic tumuluses, recreation tourism greenway feasibility which based on ecological basis was investigated. In this context a limit has been established. Within this limit, maps were formed in CBS and current situation analysis was conducted. Then, a survey was conducted with 200 people in the city and as a result of survey, land use decisions suggested this corridor within the working limits can be planned as an ecologically based recreation tourism greenway. Results showed that, 19,7% of people who live in the city would liketo increase picnic areas, 17% would like to have navigation points and 16,8% would like to transform spas into resorts. 18,9% of students would like to increase the number of picnic areas, 16,2% would like to see recreative activities in the pond and 15,5% would like to have navigation points. 51,6% of people who live in the city and 8,4% of students have visited Altıntepe. The greenway planning necessity which examined in this research is supported by the obtained data.