Examining the Tourism and Recreation Potential of Istanbul Neşet Suyu Nature Park in Terms of Conservation ond Usage Principles

Abstract

The global increase in urban population and the growth of urban areas have led to a growing need for recreation in urban areas. However, unplanned and unregulated growth of cities causes damage to both their ecological assets and natural resources in the surrounding rural areas. Global climate change has already threatened the world and our natural resources, making the support, preservation, and transmission of ecosystems in urban and rural areas increasingly important every day. In the ranking of forest assets per capita, Istanbul is 78th out of 81 provinces in our country. Therefore, it is essential that forest assets and in-forest recreation areas in Istanbul are used in a more qualified and planned manner compared to other provinces. In this study, one of Istanbul's most important in-forest recreation areas, Neşet Suyu Nature Park, was observed and evaluated through field observations and a survey, considering its existing assets. Neşet Suyu Nature Park, one of the nine nature parks in Belgrad Forest located within the borders of Sarıyer district in Istanbul, is an important recreational area with visitor potential throughout the year, frequently chosen by people. In line with the evaluation results, recommendations have been made to increase the usage potential by prioritizing the preservation of the area's natural and ecological assets to enhance the current usage towards a more qualitative state.