An approach to determining forest areas with recreational potential: The case of forest areas around main transportation roads in the Maçka Region of Trabzon, Turkey

ABSTRACT

It is most important to determine areas with recreation potential that can permit sustainable use of forest resources and also meet recreational uses. Under the method described in this study, using the Geographic Information System (GIS), a spatial suitability model for recreational use was combined with a recreational priority perceptual suitability model that depends on principal component analysis (PCA) and is based on the perceptions of both recreational users and experts. Using principal component analysis, five priority components explaining 69.371% of the total variance were identified out of 12 perceptual suitability components. These components are scenic beauty, accessibility, the surface of the landscape, tree type, and forest stand condition. The recreation terrain suitability value of an area with recreational potential was assessed with the assistance of these five priority components. This enabled us to generate a recreation terrain suitability value equation and a recreation terrain suitability value scale for a potential recreation area. This applicability of this approach was demonstrated in the identification of potential recreation areas in Trabzon, Turkey.

KEYWORDS:

• Potential recreation area
• recreational user group
• recreational area suitability value
• principal component analysis
• geographic information systems
• Trabzon
• Turkey