Urbanisation and deforestration: A case study from a mega city - Istanbul

This study aims to examine the temporal impact of rapid urban growth on forest cover in the mega city of Istanbul between the years 1987-2011. Currently, Istanbul is ranked among the most crowded cities of the world with an approximate current population of 14 million. It hosts 18.3% of the overall population of the country. Urbanization and industrialization in addition to migration from the other regions of Turkey for benefitting from better employment opportunities within years are the main causes of the urban sprawl especially within the past few decades. The main forestry area located mostly at the northern part of the city has been severely damaged during the examined period. In the study, spatial distribution of forests and their corresponding temporal changes were analyzed and presented by utilizing the modern technological tools of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).