The book “Ecosystem Services as a City Planning Tool: The Case of Çankaya District” prepared within the scope of the Nature and Cities Project carried out by the Nature Conservation Center (DKM) was published. It emphasizes the importance of urban spatial planning taking into account nature-based solutions and ecosystem services, and at the same time, the book provides a tool to guide decision-makers and practitioners on these issues.
During the preparation of the book, these services were mapped on a neighborhood scale in order to reveal the spatial distribution of ecosystem services that residents of Çankaya benefit from, the local contribution of each service was evaluated, problems encountered in case of lack of these services. In addition, the strengths and weaknesses of each service were determined and recommendations for green infrastructure and nature-based solutions were provided to decision-makers and practitioners.
According to the results of the studies, the most important ecosystem services provided by the green areas in Çankaya district are the provision of food, recreation, air purification and local climate regulation services. In the book, these services are first described in each chapter, the equivalent of the services in urban areas are explained, and then Çankaya scale maps of these services using the supply-demand methodology are figured. Furthermore, in each section, the relation of the relevant service with the green infrastructure is given, and the equivalents of the services at the neighborhood and park scale are also shown with graphics.
The book emphasizes that every decision taken regarding the areas that provide ecosystem service will affect the ecological balance. Also, the need to consider green infrastructure components in parks and gardens to be planned or revised in the future is among the important suggestions. The Chairperson of the Nature Conservation Center Dr. Uğur Zeydanlı stated that “Cities, which are facing various challenges such as the destruction of natural areas, climate change, food security and air pollution, are also the places most affected by epidemics such as COVID-19 and natural disasters. In this context, mapping urban ecosystem services, emphasizing the value of nature and its ecosystem services, revealing the spatial and temporal distribution, it is of great importance in planning climate-resilient and self-sufficient cities. I believe the book ‘Ecosystem Services as an Urban Planning Tool: The Case of Çankaya District’ will be a guide for the urban spatial planning which is considering ecosystem services and nature-based solutions, further the studies on green infrastructure”.
“Nature and Cities Project” supported by the program “Turkey – EU Civil Society Dialogue V” coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of European Union, conducted by the Nature Conservation Center in partnership with Eurosite Association and in cooperation with Çankaya Municipality and beIN İZ TV.
You can reach the book here. (only in Turkish)