Remaining tree species from the indigenous vegetation of Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

The city of Ankara is located in the geographic centre of Anatolia, Turkey. In the state of nature, Anatolia was covered with forests. Due to the destructive effects of civilisations passing through Anatolia over the centuries, the forest vegetation was gradually transformed to a steppe formation. After it became the capital city, a rapid planned urbanisation process was initiated in Ankara. In the first development plan, efforts were concentrated on the south axis of the city, which harbored the greatest concentration of indigenous plant cover in the valleys. In 1974, the embassy gardens and parks on the north–south axis were declared a “Natural Conservation Area”. Despite the conservation act, change and denuding of indigenous vegetation continued all along the axis due to highly increasing development. However, these conservation areas still include tree species from the indigenous vegetation. In this study, the presidency gardens, the embassy gardens and parks in Ankara that were declared a “conservation area” were evaluated in terms of the remaining tree species from the indigenous plant cover. The study aims to indicate the level of conservation of natural habitat in Ankara and to determine whether the concept of “Natural Conservation Areas” includes the protection of biodiversity or not. Moreover, the research results aim to reveal still existing tree species of indigenous vegetation, which will enlighten us regarding future landscape planning in Central Anatolia. Trees were examined by age, height and exposition. The results show that remaining indigenous tree species of the study area grow along the former İncesu River and that the terrain on which the trees stand is mostly exposed to the southwest and southeast. The indigenous tree species which do not exist in the study area are scattered in valleys along the river trails or on the hills of Ankara’s rural lands.