International Conference on Environment: Survival and Sustainability, Lefkoşa, Cyprus (Kktc), 19 - 24 February 2007, no.5, pp.187-197
Coastal dune ecosystem, as natural heritage, provides several values for utilisation. Beyond
the direct use of these values, an integrated management approach covering conservation and
reasonable use of dune areas is being encouraged all round the world. Recently particular
interest was focused on the wise use of coastal areas in the Mediterranean basin as well as
many coastal countries. Within this context integrated coastal zone management (ICZM)
became an important concept and many related disciplines were involved in this issue.
Physical planning disciplines as coastal engineering, landscape planning, urban planning and
marine transport together with basic science as ecology and biology can be mentioned within
this context.
Although they aim same goal that sustainable use of coastal resources, each of them
concentrates on specific data sets. While the data on bathymetry, alongshore currents, wave
generation and energy, wind patterns and aeolian transport are crucial for modelling coastal
dynamics, sand dune succession, wetland ecology, bio-diversity and human influence on the
coastal ecosystem are also very important.
A case study, aiming to determine bio-diversity and identify land cover by means of bioindicators,
was conducted as a model for data acquisition and integration in coastal areas. On
the other hand, present study aims to create a baseline data for the Kazanlı coast in which
diverse ecological features are still maintained. Kazanlı district is a rural settlement, located
by the Turkish Mediterranean coast. The research site is a fertile plain, occupied by green
houses and partly by industrial infrastructure, which have been deteriorious for the ecological
values.
During the field observations 44 bird species and 103 vascular plant taxa were recorded and
those were evaluated according to the international criteria for conservation concern.
Biological data were integrated to the decision making process for land use planning and
contributions of the local authority obtained. Finally a draft of the field guide, which will
help to disseminate the project outcomes and enhance public awareness on nature
conservation, was proposed.