Determination of Infrastructure Development in the Integrated Management Planning of Firtina Basin throug Participatary Approach

• Main Author: Cenap SANCAR
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Karadeniz Technical University 2015-12-01
• Series: Karen: Karadeniz Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Dergisi
• Subjects: Caucasus Ecoregion; Integrated Watershed Manage-ment; Fırtına Basin
• Online Access: http://www.ktu.edu.tr/dosyalar/karendergi_6c44a.pdf

Fırtına Basin (FB) having natural temperate zone forests, rich biodiversity and high endemic variety is located in Caucasus Ecoregion which is among the most important 25 ecoregions on earth. Additionally, forest zones in FB are listed among “100 Forest Hotspots” in Europe by The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP WCMC). This study identified how and to what level existing land use pattern and related infrastructure, which compose basic inputs of sustainable basin management, influence ecology and biodiversity. Findings also revealed certain socio-economic and environmental effects of recent applications / projects which were not based on a holistic management plan. This study seeks to establish adequate technical infrastructure for the rational use and sustainable management of natural resources (water, soil, forest, etc.) in Fırtına Basin and to provide coordination among the institutions. The Integrated Basin Management project also aims at designing a sustainable natural resource management and biodiversity conservation model for the piloting area, Fırtına Basin as well as for other basins. Moreover, IBM (Integrated Basin Management) experiences will be opened to debate among scholars in academic and institutional circles who are also concerned with the basins in the same ecological corridor (Eastern Black Sea Mountains) or other basins in the wider Caucasus Ecoregion.