Determination of Encounter Norms and Social Carrying Capacity of Yozgat Çamlik National Park Using Simulation Modeling Technique

Abstract

National parks are at the forefront where city people can satisfy their longing for nature. While the increase in the demands for green and soul has caused some questions for these areas, it has also prepared the ground for local governments to take protective-preventive measures. Yozgat Çamlık National Park has the title of being the first national park of Türkiye and is characterized as a rare piece of nature. This study calculated the carrying capacities of the scenic cruise route and picnic roads, the most intensive-use areas of Yozgat Çamlık National Park. To make the calculations, the National Park was visited frequently between January and December 2021-2022, and the most intense usage points were determined. Photographs of the determined points were taken, and six simulation images were created. The visitors using the National Park were asked to score between 1-6 on the simulation images that they felt comfortable and uncomfortable within the simulation images created by a survey study. The National Park's Social Carrying Capacity and Social Norm levels were calculated according to the scoring status. When the findings are evaluated, the Social carrying capacity of the Picnic area is 524 people, the Social Norms level is nine people, the Social Capacity is 84 people on the Scenic cruise route, and the Social Norms level is determined as ten people.