Nature based zoning for the coastal area of Bursa

Man's demands on Turkey's coastline are increasing and this is common to coastal areas world-wide. This is because of population growth and economic development. Transport, industrial, housing, energy production and infrastructure development and tourism are transforming Turkey's coastal areas. Yet still these coastal areas are treated as if they are an unlimited resource. The answer is to plan development in relation to the coastal landscape's capacity, based on careful understanding of its character and the area's natural resources. Planning based on sustaining ecological integrity is a priority. This study proposes planning policies which identify different categories of zones and interaction between sub-zones. These will help define densities and location of sustainable land use development and management. In this way there can be a balance of conservation and development. The study focuses on the city of Bursa in the Sea of Marmara region because it can contribute to implementation of the 1/100000 Bursa Environmental Plan and because Bursa is the fourth largest metropolitan area of Turkey. As a result of this study the basic principles of planning and management are determined for ensuring the sustainability, and use types and densities of the region.