Determining management strategies for the Sarikum

Authors: Sevgi Öztürk

Publish Date: 2015/02/13

Volume: 187, Issue: 3, Pages: 113-

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Abstract

In recent years many environmental problems have become important factors in promoting the economic need to develop tourist activity climate change such as energy wars increasing hunger and aridity population increases in urban areas excessive and unthinking use of natural resources difficult international relations economic competition and increasing environmental stress Trends in global tourism have changed with changes in culture and our attitude to nature Changes in both the profile and consumption patterns of tourists have called for the need to balance the use of natural and cultural assets with the need to adequately protect them In this study the Sarikum Nature Protection Area SNPA was selected as a case study because of its significance as a Turkish wetland area and the variety of different ecosystems coexisting within it The study focussed on management strategies but also provides a broader strategy for an area that currently has no management plan Strengths and weaknesses opportunities and threats SWOT analyses of the area were gathered and analyzed using R′WOT analysis ranking + SWOT a multicriteria assessment method in order to determine strategies obtain the participation of interest groups and assess their opinions and attitudes The analysis showed the following the rich biological diversity and the existence of endemic species were the reserve’s most significant strength the presence of natural areas in surrounding regions was the most significant opportunity the shortage of infrastructure and lack of legal regulation of ecotourism was the most significant weakness and the lack of a management plan was the most immediate threatDue to the fact that the uncontrolled use of natural resources the ecological balance has been damaged Akbulak and Cengiz 2014 Yücel and Babuş 2005 In order to balance earth’s ecology natural resources and species must be preserved and developed in a sustainable way As it is known for implementing this preservation governments have their own legislations about natural resources’ protection in local regional and national scales They determine valuable unique and rich environments and call them protected areas These areas are described by The International Union for the Conservation of Nature as the areas which need to be managed by laws and planning instruments and preserved because of their naturally and culturally distinctive characteristics and biological diversity in order to sustain their existence to the future International Union for the Conservation of Nature 1994The main reasons which give rise to deterioration of life environments of living creatures alteration of landscape and the rise of land use density in protected areas are known as economic and social activities Nowadays tourism activities to protected areas and natural sites come into question with their damages to the environment Therefore sustainability and its implementation became very significant for preserving natural sites Akbulak and Cengiz 2014 In this context different tourism types came into agenda for keeping tourism activities in these sites without damaging the natureAdvances in the study of tourism have led to the development of concepts such as “rural tourism” “ecotourism” and “sustainable tourism” Ecotourism which is focused in this study’s context basically purposes to protect natural and cultural richness while local people’s economic welfare increases Therefore the importance of ecotourism activity raised in many cases Cengiz 2009 Day and Cai 2012 Ecotourism is a reaction contrary to mass tourism and is not limited to a specific season covers rural and cultural tourism elements and is considered the most suitable type of tourism for development in environmentally sensitive areas Kaypak 2012 According to the Ecotourism Society 1990 ecotourism is “sensitive travel which protects the environment and observes the welfare of local people and which is made in natural areas” Ecotourism does not have a single universally accepted definition or a welldefined market According to many scientists it is based on an approach that assures protects and observes the sustainability and social and cultural integrity of natural resources while supporting the economic development of local people Akay and Zengin 2012 Boo 1991 Eagles 1995 Wight 1993 Ecotourism includes concepts of social responsibility economic efficiency and ecological sensitivity Cater 1994 Rahemtulla and Wellstead 2001 Additionally it contributes to the understanding of the need to protect nature in both the visitors and local people However as in other types of tourism ecotourism has both pros and cons Ecotourist activities may not always bring the desired results in terms of net benefits to the locality visited For instance the carrying capacity of natural areas may be exceeded and environmental problems cultural degeneration and the overconsumption of renewable energy sources may arise Whenever ecotourism opportunities are developed it is necessary to create and implement appropriate management plans to ensure effective protection of the area concernedIn this study we suggest that the Sarikum Nature Protection Area SNPA qualifies as a protected area and that participatory management strategies are developed there that recognize its sensitive ecosystems and high visitor potential It is an important wetland area in Turkey Wetland areas are significant in an ecosystems context and are essential to protect natural balance and biodiversity Furthermore they provide food breeding sites and a sheltered environment for many species and therefore have global importance Öztürk et al 2012The province of Sinop located in the West Black Sea Region contains one natural area under protection three natural parks and three natural monuments according to the Law of National Parks number 2873 Republic of Turkey Ministry of Forestry and Water 10 Regional Direction 2013 The study methodology comprises data collection and an R′WOT analysis Yilmaz 2006 Öztürk and Tönük 2013 and assessment for the areaThe area comprises wet and semiwet areas and has a warm winter and hot summer climate It includes five main habitat types sand dunes inland surface waters marshes brushwood and pastures The climate and diversity of habitats have led to high biodiversity and species richness The area and its surroundings are located on bird migration routes and are used by water birds songbirds and others for feeding and breeding Yardim et al 2008 Yilmaz 2005 Two hundred eightyone bird species belonging to 58 families have been recorded in the area Yardim et al 2008 There are 9 herpetofauna species in the area and 33 mammal species belonging to 13 families In addition 12 species of zooplankton and 22 types of phytoplankton have been recorded Sivaci et al 2008 Regarding the plant flora of the basin in which the area is located 522 species and subspecies belonging to 94 families have been recorded Republic of Turkey Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs 2012 Karaer 2003 There are 16 species endemic in this area Some of these are the following Heracleum playtytaenium Boiss Circium pseudopersonata Boiss Bal subsp Pseudopersonata Taraxacum revertens G Hagl Danthus carmelitarum Reut ex Boiss Verbascum bithynicum Verbascum hereobarrbatu Allium kastambulense Kollman’dir Sivaci et al 2008

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