The effects of shopping malls on using urban parks: The case of Ankara, Turkey

WOS: 000315995200001Urban parks and shopping malls are some of the important recreation sources of our present cities. Dense rush-hours of cities and time varying life styles affect the recreation need, choices and recreation source usage of urban people. In this study, the effects of shopping malls, which have become important part of the present urban life, on using urban parks were examined. During the process of determining the mentioned effect, 25 motivation items that direct the recreational preferences were questioned. The items were evaluated in the processes of "preference of urban parks and shopping malls'' and "choice between an urban park and a shopping mall". The study was carried out with the users of Ankamall, Cepa, Kent Park and Armada shopping malls in Ankara, Turkey. Within the scope of the study, questionnaire forms were used to gain data. The questionnaire was conducted to 492 participants with the techniques of random choice and face-to-face interview between May 2011-May 2012 on Saturdays and Sundays, when user density was high. The data was analysed with descriptive statistics, K-means cluster analysis and paired sample t-test. The results of the analysis showed that 25 motivation items had different levels of effect on the preference of urban parks and shopping malls. However, 15 motivation items were detected in the choice between urban parks and shopping malls. Among these criteria, bringing "easy transportation, cultural contributions, food-drink facility, accessible places and ergonomic outfits", which direct the users to the shopping malls, in the urban parks will be effective on attracting the users to the urban park. Along with that, user satisfaction and preference will be increased in urban park choice by developing some motivation items of different effect levels

A RESEARCH ON DETERMINATION OF VULNERABLE LANDSCAPES IN TERMS OF GROUNDWATER: DUZCE CASE, TURKEY

WOS: 000467668200030Water is one of the main sources of life and its continuation depends on the availability of usable water. This study was carried out to determine the vulnerable landscape in terms of groundwater resources. The study was conducted in Duzce district which has quite rich water resources, and provides water to Istanbul, Turkey's most populous city, but is threatened by settlement, industry and agricultural development. Water process analysis method was used in the study. Water process analysis aims to reveal the movement of precipitation water in vegetation cover, soil and rock layers and convert them into spatial data. Within the scope of this method, slope, soil, rock and vegetation cover criteria were evaluated, and water infiltration status was mapped according to five criteria (very high, high, moderate, low, very low). It was revealed that % 0.4 of the water infiltration map area has very high, %13.1 high, %70.2 moderate, %14.6 low and %1.8 very low infiltration value. These findings show that %83.7 of the area (at infiltration, very high, high and moderate values) are vulnerable to feeding and protection of groundwater resources. Protection and improvement of green areas for feeding groundwater resources; avoiding structural surfaces changes; preventing or reducing the area usage of agriculture, industry, settlement, solid waste storage etc. activities to prevent pollution; and switching to clean production/eco-efficiency, ecotourism, ecological farming etc. is important in these vulnerable landscapes. As a result, the water infiltration map obtained in the study is a practical data that can contribute to many studies, especially in the upper scale spatial plans

LANDSCAPE SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS AS AN ECOLOGICAL KEY: THE CASE OF DUZCE, TURKEY

WOS: 000505251300110Landscape sensitivity is one of the ways that give us the opportunity to exhibit ecology-based approaches to the world we live in. Landscape sensitivity refers to areas where landscape is sensitive to natural or human-based pressures. This study aims to develop a model for revealing and mapping the landscape sensitivity of Duzce province in Turkey. The model was developed by evaluating four parameters (ecologic process). These are erosion risk, landslide susceptibility, water infiltration and habitat fragmentation. Within the scope of the study, sensitivity data related to each parameter has first been formed within the framework of expert opinions and then all data has been analyzed by ArcGIS 9.3 software and a Duzce Province Landscape Sensitivity Map has been produced. When the landscape sensitivity map obtained within the scope of the model is evaluated, it is seen that the sensitivity in 38.6% of the area is low while it is medium with 30.6%, very low with 21.7%, high with 8.2% and very high with 8.2%. These findings are easily visualized on the map. As a result, the landscape sensitivity map produced is a data that is compatible with ecological principles, produced by scientific methods, compatible with technological tools and can be integrated with similar analyses. In addition it is an important element to develop ecological based decisions related to the space. Therefore, its usage as a basis map for spatial planning is a need beyond desire

A research on the determination of the ecological effects of road networks: The example of Hendek, Turkey

The number of road networks increase day by day. This brings about many problems. The aim of the study is to determine the effects of road networks on landscape structure with the landscape ecology-based approaches. In the study, to carry out landscape ecology based evaluations, 7 patch classes belonging to forest matrix were determined by firstly examining forest cover type map. The effects of roads were evaluated in the context of fragmentation situation. Fragmentation was analyzed with Patch Analysis, which was performed under ArcGIS program. At the end of the analysis, patch size and number, patch form, patch edge and core areas values concerning the patch classes were determined. These values were relatively scored out of 5 points, provided that the areas with less fragmentation were considered to have conservation priority. The total score of every patch class was found and the patch classes were divided into classes between each other according to their conservation priority degrees. The results of the study showed that the study area where road networks existed and intensified had much more fragmentation. The fragmentation in the patch classes increased in the direction of "mixed leafy, leafy- mixed forest, open area in forestry, coniferous-grassland, mixed coniferous". In the evaluation in which less-fragmentation areas considered to have conservation priority, it was found that 16.14% of the study area had a very high, 24.63% of it had a high, 12.78% of it had a moderate, 0.05% of it a low and 0.1% of it very low conservation degree. © 2013 Asian Network for Scientific Information

Research on Stakeholder Analysis for Isparta Province Kovada Sub Basin Participatory Watershed Management Process

WOS: 000279315000007In this study, stakeholder groups for participatory watershed management in Kovada sub basin have been grouped in terms of their characteristics and their effects in the basin, and the main basin stakeholder groups have been defined. A survey consisting of 41 questions has been made with the farmers constituting the biggest stakeholder group in the basin. The survey has also been directed to the dealers of pesticides with whom the farmers have the most relations, and to the headmen of the villages within the basin. Furthermore, administrative bodies having authority on management of water resources of the basin have been interviewed. As a result of the survey with these stakeholder groups and the interviews, the data which can be used in constituting a participatory management model have been collected and statistically analyzed. The results of the survey with stakeholder groups and interviews indicated that large number of organizations has direct and indirect interest in the aspects of water resources management in local level with lack of communications and coordinations

Açık ve Yeşil Alanların Konut Seçimine Etkisinin Belirlenmesi Temelinde Bir Ölçek Geliştirme Çalışması

Kent yaşamında konut seçimi önemli konulardan biridir. Konut, kentteki hareketliliği ve dolayısıyla kentin sosyokültürel ve ekonomik dağılımını yönlendirme gücüne sahip bir olgudur. Bu olgu kimi zaman kültürel yapının beklentisi, kimi zaman yapıya uygun konut nitelikleri, kimi zamansa konuta uygun kültürel dağılım ilişkisini gündeme getirmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de konut seçiminde etkili olan faktörlerin belirlenmesine yönelik bir ölçek geliştirmektir. Çalışma, Türkiye’nin başkenti Ankara’nın Dikmen vadisi çevresinde yer alan bazı mahallelerde yürütülmüştür. Çalışmada verilerin toplanması amacıyla anket çalışması yapılmıştır. Anket formu, konut seçiminde etkili olan değişkenler (52 değişken), katılımcıların demografik özellikleri (11 soru) ve konuta ilişkin özellikler (9 soru) olmak üzere üç bölüm ve toplam 21 sorudan oluşturulmuştur. Anket çalışması %95 güven düzeyi ve %5 hata payı göz önünde bulundurularak; temsil yeteneğini de artırmak amacıyla 415 kişiye rasgele ve yüz yüze görüşme tekniği ile yürütülmüştür. Veri analizleri SPSS22 istatistik paket programı aracılığı ile geçerlilik, güvenirlik analizleri ve açımlayıcı faktör analizi (AFA) temelinde değerlendirilmiştir. Analiz sonuçlarına göre; konut seçimini etkileyen faktörler (KSEF)özdeğerleri1’den büyük olan 4 faktör ve bu faktörlerin altında yer alan 20 değişkenle tanımlanmıştır. Bu faktörler Rekreasyonel Ulaşılabilirlik ve Yeşil Alanlar (RUYA), Konut Alanının Çevre Kalitesi (KAÇK), Konutun Ekonomik Değeri (KED) ve Konutun Yapısal Özellikleri (KYO) isimleri ile adlandırılmıştır. Açımlayıcı faktör analizi sonucunda faktör yük değerlerinin 0.652 ve 0.967 arasında değiştiği, toplam varyansın da %68,499’unu açıkladığı belirlenmiştir. Konut seçimini etkileyen faktörlerin belirlenmesine yönelik yapılan bu ölçek geliştirme çalışmasının Türkiye’nin farklı bölgelerinde yapılacak araştırmalarda kullanılabilecek geçerlilik ve güvenilirlik değerlerine sahip bir ölçme aracı olduğu söylenebilir

A Scale Development Study Based on Determining the Effect of Open and Green Areas on Housing Choice

Kent yaşamında konut seçimi önemli konulardan biridir. Konut, kentteki hareketliliği ve dolayısıyla kentin sosyo-kültürel ve ekonomik dağılımını yönlendirme gücüne sahip bir olgudur. Bu olgu kimi zaman kültürel yapınınbeklentisi, kimi zaman yapıya uygun konut nitelikleri, kimi zamansa konuta uygun kültürel dağılım ilişkisinigündeme getirmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de konut seçiminde etkili olan faktörlerin belirlenmesineyönelik bir ölçek geliştirmektir. Çalışma, Türkiye’nin başkenti Ankara’nın Dikmen vadisi çevresinde yer alan bazımahallelerde yürütülmüştür. Çalışmada verilerin toplanması amacıyla anket çalışması yapılmıştır. Anket formu,konut seçiminde etkili olan değişkenler (52 değişken), katılımcıların demografik özellikleri (11 soru) ve konutailişkin özellikler (9 soru) olmak üzere üç bölüm ve toplam 21 sorudan oluşturulmuştur. Anket çalışması %95 güvendüzeyi ve %5 hata payı göz önünde bulundurularak; temsil yeteneğini de artırmak amacıyla 415 kişiye rasgele veyüz yüze görüşme tekniği ile yürütülmüştür. Veri analizleri SPSS22 istatistik paket programı aracılığı ile geçerlilik,güvenirlik analizleri ve açımlayıcı faktör analizi (AFA) temelinde değerlendirilmiştir. Analiz sonuçlarına göre;konut seçimini etkileyen faktörler (KSEF)özdeğerleri1’den büyük olan 4 faktör ve bu faktörlerin altında yer alan20 değişkenle tanımlanmıştır. Bu faktörler Rekreasyonel Ulaşılabilirlik ve Yeşil Alanlar (RUYA), Konut AlanınınÇevre Kalitesi (KAÇK), Konutun Ekonomik Değeri (KED) ve Konutun Yapısal Özellikleri (KYO) isimleri ileadlandırılmıştır. Açımlayıcı faktör analizi sonucunda faktör yük değerlerinin 0.652 ve 0.967 arasında değiştiği,toplam varyansın da %68,499’unu açıkladığı belirlenmiştir. Konut seçimini etkileyen faktörlerin belirlenmesineyönelik yapılan bu ölçek geliştirme çalışmasının Türkiye’nin farklı bölgelerinde yapılacak araştırmalardakullanılabilecek geçerlilik ve güvenilirlik değerlerine sahip bir ölçme aracı olduğu söylenebilir.Housing choice in urban life is one of the important issues. Housing is a force that has the power to direct themobility of the city and therefore the socio-cultural and economic distribution of the city. Sometimes this phenomenon brings about the anticipation of cultural construction, sometimes the characteristics of suitablehousing for the building, and the relationship of cultural distribution suitable for the housing at some time. Theaim of this study was to develop a scale for determining the factors affecting the choice of housing in Turkey.Work in the vicinity of Turkey's capital Ankara's Dikmen valley was carried out in some neighborhoods. In thestudy, a survey was conducted to collect data. The questionnaire was composed of 21 questions in three sections,which are the variables (52 variables), the demographic characteristics of the participants (11 questions) and theproperties related to the residence (9 questions). Considering the 95% confidence level and the 5% error margin;it was conducted with random and face-to-face interview technique to 415 people in order to increase therepresentation. Data analyzes were evaluated on the basis of validity, reliability analyzes and explanatory factoranalysis (EFA) through the SPSS 22 statistical package program. According to the analysis results; Factorsaffecting housing choice (KSEF) are defined by 4 factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 and 20 variables underthese factors. These factors are named with Recreational Accessibility and Green Areas (RUYA), EnvironmentalQuality of Housing Area (KAÇK), Economic Value of Housing (KED) and Housing Structural Properties (KYO).As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, it was determined that the factor load values changed between 0.652and 0.967 and the total variance explained 68.499%. Housing choice to determine the factors affecting the validityof this scale can be used in research of the development work to be done in different regions of Turkey and said tobe a tool with reliability values

DETERMINATION OF SENSITIVE LANDSCAPES FOR LANDFILL: SIVAS CASE/TURKEY

WOS: 000497992700020Due to the increase of the world population and changing living conditions, the waste amount is increasing exponentially. This situation threatens landscape. This study aims to determine sensitive landscapes in terms of landfills. Sensitive landscapes are the areas with low capacity to absorb innovation and change caused by space use. The study was conducted in Sivas. In this study, were evaluated 10 criteria as follows: rock type, proximity to fault lines, hydrological soil groups in order to protect underground water resources; proximity to water resources in order to protect water surface; erosion risk areas to prevent erosion; slope in terms of erosion and groundwater; land capability classes and large soil groups to protect soils of high agricultural value; aspect to prevent bad odour and fast decay; vegetation cover terms of protecting habitats, preventing erosion and infiltration. The results showed that the area has very high sensitivity with 3.16%, high sensitivity with 28.76%, moderate sensitivity with 51.85%, low sensitivity with 15.77% and very low sensitivity with 0.46%. As a result, landscapes sensitive to landfill should not be treated as waste disposal sites and should be protected. In addition, these criteria should be considered as a criterion in the landfill site selection process