Planning of the Murat Mountain as a national park and its assessment in terms of environmental education

Xlll PLANNING OF THE MURAT MOUNTAIN AS A NATURAL PARK and ITS ASSESMENT IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ABSTRACT In the present century, the modern technology gives human endless opportunity to benefit from the nature and the developmental activities of especially the developing countries increase the pressure on the nature. This situation endangers the presence of all of the world's livings in the future. In some international conferences, like 1972 Stockholm and 1992 Rio Environmental Development Conferences, arguments are made on the searching solutions of these problems interesting the whole world. As a result, some models are developed, like together with protection, the usage of the natural sources considering the developmental aims and their transfer to the future generations without spoiling (the protection-use balance), or "sustainable development". To evaluate the natural area in regard to the sustainable developmental aims, the natural properties of the area must be analyzed in every detail and evaluated as a whole, and the area must be planned due to the protection-use aims. With this study, the natural sources that are present in the Murat Mountain are planned to be both protected and used with respect to the sustainable principles, and the study area is planned to be a protection area. The natural properties (geological-lithological, geomorphologic, climatic, soil, hydrological and hydrographical properties) and the socioeconomic properties (population, settlement, and economical properties) are firstly observed, and then are evaluated as a whole; the area is evaluated with respect to the criteria of natural protection, regarding these properties. This study area has a very high tourism potential, but it is rather difficult to say that the potential is used totally, although the Murat Mountain is famous as a thermal tourism center because of hot springs, it does also possess a very big potential of alternative tourism and ecotourism. Mountaineering, tracking, climatism, adventure tourism (parasailing etc.), summer tourism, camping, golf, horse riding, photo-safari can be mentioned in this respect.XIV The Murat Mountain has outstanding natural beauties and superior landscape properties. Also in the Murat Mountain are many relic and endemic plant kinds, cirque lakes, and some endangered species such as otters and badgers. It is necessary that the Murat Mountain be under protection with its present and alternative tourism opportunities and resource values. In this context, the Murat Mountain appears to be an area to possess a lot of protection status in itself. In other words, the resource values of the area in different parts can be protected in different status. But most of the protecting areas need a strict protection regime to protect the natural resources, which does not enable people to use this area with recreational purposes. It is also an obstacle to the economic activities of the people of this region. In turn, this leads to the negative responses of these people to protection areas. In this context, the Murat Mountain is foreseen to be planned as a biosphere reserve area, which will enable people to carry out sustainable development and sustainable tourism activities. This situation also prevents the above- mentioned problems from arising. It is possible that the Murat Mountain can both be protected and used, considering its carrying capacity within the balance of the Murat Mountain's protection-use balance with the biosphere reserve area. With this study, the natural potential of the Murat Mountain is evaluated and the area is planned as a biosphere reserve area. Therefore, detailed geomorphologic studies are needed in the Murat Mountain and its surroundings. Together with these studies, the physical, environmental, social, and psychological carrying capacity of the area must be calculated for the above-mentioned alternative tourism activities and tourism presentation. Key words: National park, Biosphere reserve, Natural protection, Ecosystems, Environmental education