Evaluation of protected area statuses of nature parks: The case of Western Black Sea

Abstract

Since the services that protected areas offer become more understandable, the importance of these areas is increasing day by day throughout the world. Therefore, efforts to increase both the quality and the quantity of these areas have accelerated. On the other hand, economic gains desired from existing or potential protected areas can disrupt the protection of these resources. This study was carried out to investigate the protected area status of nature parks, which are managed for utilization rather than protection, in the regime of protected areas. Accordingly, nine nature parks in three provinces in the Western Black Sea Region were examined, current master plans were evaluated in terms of nature protection and surveys were conducted with users in the three nature parks that are open to use. According to the findings of the study these areas are mostly used for picnics. The fact that the nature parks are established in the forest is the most attractive side for the users. However, the majority of interviewed nature park users do not even know that the place they come is a protected area and thinks that the promotions of these parks are insufficient. Users do not even know which organization manages the nature parks. It is clearly seen that nature parks play an important role in the protection of nature in areas where absolute nature protection is not possible due to human-nature interaction. However, instantaneous political decisions regarding nature parks, regardless of knowledge, legislation and participation, cause the protection-use balance to shift towards the use in nature parks, and cause the right place of nature parks in the protected area regime to change negatively. In order to prevent this change, it is necessary for the nature parks to regain a management approach in which nature protection gains importance.