Quality of Life as a Criterion for the Conservation of Rural Landscapes: The Case of Karaköy, Datça

Date

2023-12-12

Author

Üstün, Betül

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Rural landscapes have evolved through the dynamic interplay between humans and nature across natural, socio-cultural, and economic dimensions, rendering them sustainable and resilient. However, rural landscapes face increased vulnerability stemming from challenges such as population shifts, unemployment, escalating disaster risks, and the impacts of climate change, putting them at risk of loss and abandonment. It is imperative to comprehend the prospects for sustainable development and heritage conservation in this context. Enhancing the Quality of Life (QoL) in rural landscapes is a crucial concern for their sustainability. Therefore, this thesis aims to explore QoL in rural landscapes from the perspective of heritage preservation. To assess QoL, a conceptual framework is developed, with indicators categorized under six dimensions: human-nature relations, built environment quality, services for inhabitants, employment, socio-cultural well-being, and safety/resilience to disasters. In addition, the thesis employs Karaköy, Datça in Turkey as a case study due to its abundant cultural and natural values, coupled with challenges arising from tourism development and a declining young population. Utilizing the proposed assessment framework, the thesis evaluates the QoL in Karaköy, shedding light on local needs and challenges related to human-nature relations, built environment quality, services for inhabitants, employment, socio-cultural well-being, and resilience to disasters. The thesis proposes strategies for heritage preservation, infrastructure projects and sustainable tourism management to ensure sustainable development in Karaköy by taking into account the QoL for both present and future generations.

Subject Keywords

rural landscapes, quality of life, sustainability, sustainable development, karaköy/datça

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/108271

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis