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GREENWAY PLANNING PROCESS IN THE EXAMPLE OF TOKLU VALLEY
Article in Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology · January 2016
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Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology 17, No 2, 611–620 (2016)
Environmental protection and sustainable development
GREENWAY PLANNING PROCESS IN THE EXAMPLE OF
TOKLU VALLEY
B. C. KURDOGLUa*, S. S. KURTa, K. T. CELIKa, T. USTIN TOPALb
School of Forestry, Department of Landscape Architecture, Karadeniz
Technical University, 61 080 Trabzon, Turkey
E-mail: banukurdoglu@windowslive.com; sultansevinckurt@gmail.com;
kadirtolgaacelik@gmail.com
b
School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Department of Landscape
Architecture, Namik Kemal University, 59 000 Tekirdag, Turkey
E-mail: tugbaustun61@gmail.com
a
Abstract. In today cities the ecological framework requires the creation of sustainable landscape.
For this purpose the protection of the green corridor established relationships with existing and development of new tissue is important. In this context greenway planning approach is the preferred
planning model in cities. ‘Toklu Valley’, passing through the city of Trabzon and yet has not been
distorted by yearling settlement and connecting the city to rural and other types of land, was selected
as the study site. This area is evaluated in terms of greenway planning criteria for the determination
of appropriate land use decisions and may undertake functions were analysed. After analyses of the
valley, suggestions were given for appropriate goals for greenway planning strategy and functions.
Study includes the following steps: Literature Research, Analyses, Data Integrity and Statistical Results, Assessments and Presentation. As a result, suitable areas in respect to recreational and scenery
functions are presented in the study area. The area is evaluated in 3 zones. In the proposed scenarios
for these zones, the opportunities of the area as recreational, ecology and education corridors are
presented through illustrations. The 1st zone is evaluated as recreational and education corridors, the
2nd zone is evaluated as recreational, ecology and education corridors and the 3rd zone is evaluated
as recreational, ecology, education and scenery corridors.
Keywords: greenway planning, planning of urban corridors, sustainable cities, Trabzon.
AIMS AND BACKGROUND
Sustainable cities are ecologically planned and require obtaining, interpretation
and using all the ecological data with ecological land planning principles which
called urban landscape planning1. Deniz et al.2 state that in fragmented landscapes,
to minimise the negative impact of isolation, increasing the effectiveness of the
natural cycle and providing of type mobility are based on the establishment of
corridors to enable the connection of the field. In this sense, the most effective
way in improving the connection status of a landscape, protection of the natural
*
For correspondence.
611
and artificial corridor development or strengthening and creating new artificial
corridors. Corridor functions are described in 6 items:
(1) Help to increase on the continuity of species diversity and richness;
(2) Prepare an environment to ensure the recolonisation for extinct species,
due to the formation of suitable habitat matrix again;
(3) Provide genetic variation between isolated habitats,
(4) Provide alternative transitions to the species which need different habitats
periodically;
(5) Bring together different shelter and hunting areas;
(6) Provide recreational, visual and climatic benefits by creating a green belt
that borders the city3.
Greenways have played a significant role in the development of urban areas.
There are significant benefits from greenways4. According to Ahern5, the greenway
planning have linearity, binding, sustainability, a lot of functionality and features to
be integrated into landscape planning. When the greenways are assessed in terms
of these features, they will be able to play a very important role for sustainable
urbanisation.
On greenways, hiking, bike riding, skating, picnicking, horse riding, ski walking, etc. outdoor recreation activities are carried out. These are generally active and
passive activities including social, cultural and sporting events. When performing
daily activities on greenways, facilities and opportunities are available to perform
several days activities at the same time6. After the greenway movement started
with Frederick Law Olmsted Boston Park System referred to by name of ‘Emerald Necklace’, ‘Greenways for America’ book written by Charles Little in 1990
(Ref. 7), was an important step towards the concept. Yet very few literature about
the concept found, by Flink and Searns in 1993 (Ref. 8) that described greenway
history and planning principles have been published.
By Journal Landscape and Urban Planning (Fabos and Ryan Publishers)9 in
1995, ‘greenway’ was discussed in a special subject and about this topic 26 issues
were published. Searns10 described the greenways processes from past to now, also
provided information about their current status, meanings and functions on urban
landscapes. Starting from axis, boulevards, following the recreation path along
rivers, creeks, ridges, stages were described until today multi-purpose greenways.
Ahern5 describes Greenway planning strategies, concepts and plans, discusses the
properties and benefits by definition of greenway. The greenway classification made
in the study and was discussed in three sample areas. Turner11 has published an
article that contains the history of the greenway planning in England, development
proposals for the current state and future state.
The study of Ndbusi et al.12 describes the method for performing source
analysis and planning strategies for a greenway corridor application that will be
carried out in an example ecologically sensitive area. In an article published in
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2004, Asakwa et al.13 defined five river corridors as example areas evaluating the
city river corridor in the greenway system, described the area as recreational use,
nature and views. Riberio and Barao14, compare five example greenway areas which
feature ensuring the continuity of recreational and landscape quality and emphasise the importance of this planning. The article published for the rural greenway
planning by Conine et al.15 in Konkord city, North Karolayna, in the direction of
planning multi-purpose greenway system, the works they created could be given
as example for the purpose of recreational, environmental protection and alternative transportation. Likewise, Lindsey16, in the article, by explaining the aims and
planning strategies of Indianapolis Greenway System, reveals visitors profiles and
the status of three roads used by visitors which belongs to the greenway system.
Mugavin17, besides the Tonnes River Linear Park, with the work made about Adelaide Greenways Planning application and assessment, introduces a 50 km-long
riverside greenway. Haren and Reich18, providing information about the greenway
network and habitats in Germany, discuss the rewards of a multi-purpose greenways and the advantages of the way to create habitat networks. In their published
article, Yokohari et al.19 report their views on the history of greenways and their
situation in the future in modern cities of Japan. Arslan20 defines the greenway
concept and function, focuses on the need to apply this model for our cities and
our rural areas. Again, in Turkey, a research project was performed by Arslan et
al.21 in Ankara University, Turkey. A study of decisions taken towards Greenway
Planning in Ankara occurs as a completed study in 2004. Kurdoglu6 in his thesis
work called ‘A Research on Planning Hamsikoy-Zigana Village Road that Owns
Trabzon-Gumushane Old State Highway as Greenway’, also with the number of
102Y067 CAYDAG-TUBITAK research project, has examined the feasibility of
Trabzon-Gumushane Old State Highway as greenway and in terms of recreationscenery-historical/cultural functions, he has assessed the suitability of the area by
using the ‘Suitability Analysis’ method. He has revealed a Greenway Planning
Model as the result of evaluation carried out in GIS environment.
Toklu Valley that passes through the city of Trabzon and has not been distorted
by construction yet, and connects the city to the countryside and to many areas
with special characteristics, has been selected as the study are. This field has been
analysed to determine the decisions about the undertaken functions and appropriate
land use in terms of greenway planning criteria. Then, recommendations have been
presented about strategies, aims and functions for a greenway planning in the area
that could contribute the sustainable urbanisation. The study has been performed
through the following steps: Literature research, Analyses, Data integrity and
Statistical results, Assessments and Presentation.
Geographic Information System (GIS) has been benefited for data and route
studies of the parameters and stage assessments in the study area. GIS support has
been taken again for the visualisation of data, mapping and data analysis steps of
613
concerned valley. At the last step, according to the statistics and analysis results,
assessments have been made and the results have been discussed.
In the research, the urban corridors of Trabzon Toklu Valley have been analysed
in terms of undertaken functions and possibility greenway planning. In this context:
● To provide a contribution to the planning of landscape by creating qualified
green areas with the evaluation of Toklu Valley Corridor potential to be greenway;
● Through this corridor, to provide the routes that offer the opportunities for
recreational activities like cycling, hiking, running, examination of nature, horse
riding, watching the village life, etc. for city people;
● With planning this corridor as a greenway to create the routes (corridors)
for providing socialisation and offering the opportunity to watch the view of the
city for people and local-foreign tourists coming to the city;
● With planning this corridor as a greenway to create the routes (corridors)
offering the opportunity to increase awareness of city people about the natural,
historical, cultural and semantic values of city;
● With planning this corridor as a greenway to connect with important focus
in terms of the city historic, cultural and natural values;
● With planning this corridor as a greenway, beside ensuring the knowledge
about the natural, historical and cultural resources to the visitors of all ages, to
contribute to education by making organisations for the natural and cultural sciences
in cooperation with primary and secondary schools, universities, other institutions
that give nature and environment education that near the greenway;
● Through this corridor, to create routes (corridors) that people with disabilities could use;
● To ensure increasing the amount of qualified green area per capita in the city;
● To manipulate a greenway linking urban areas to rural areas;
● With planning this corridor as a greenway to break the heat island by providing the air circulation which is important for the city climate;
● To contribute to the sustainable urbanisation phenomenon with planning
this corridor as a greenway.
EXPERIMENTAL
Study purposes and scopes were carried out using the following steps:
STEP 1: LITERATURE RESEARCH
Many articles, projects, reports related with subject and workspaces were examined
within the country and abroad in scope of the research.
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STEP 2: ANALYSES
Area survey. The transport status, property status, recreational status, aesthetic
status, etc. of the field were examined by determining the value of current natural
and cultural resources, observations, photos, land patterns that belong the current
situation of area.
Mapping in Geographical Information Systems. Inventory of area has been mapped
in the GIS environment.
Survey studies. A survey will be achieved in order to identify the possibility of
being greenway and the functions that area could have by reference of the views
of local people and the people who visit the area. Overall, the survey was administered over 84 people. Trabzon Toklu Valley corridor is designated as study area.
Toklu Valley connects Trabzon seaside to the residental area and rural area in the
city. This area has opportunities in terms of potentials like recreation, education,
alternative transportation, etc. for city people.
Present condition analysis. In this step, according to the studies carried out in step
2, the possibilities of corridor were discussed according the current situation. The
analysis of area was carried out in the GIS environment.
Planning strategies, determination of goals and functions. Planning strategies,
purposes and greenway functions of corridor identified as an area of research have
been revealed in line with 1st and 2nd working steps and current situation analysis
that carried out in 3rd step.
● In this step, in line with data obtained from the result of 1st, 2nd and 3rd
working steps and literature assisted assessments of area, the Ahern planning
strategy stated in 1995 (Ref. 5) has been decided as appropriate combination for
Toklu Valley. In this step, protectionist, fighting, defensive and assessed opportunities four different strategies have been discussed; a combination of appropriate
strategies has been determined by considering one or more of the most suitable
combination together.
● In addition, with data obtained from the result of 1st, 2nd and 3rd working
steps and literature assisted assessments, environmental, humanitarian, economic,
application, development and management goals have been created for planning
Toklu Valley with greenway system.
● Again, with data obtained from the result of 1st, 2nd and 3rd working steps
and literature assisted assessments, convenient functions for greenway system of
the said valley (to be a corridor to protect natural and historical-cultural values, to
be a recreation corridor, to be an alternative transportation corridor, to be a tourism corridor, to be a scenic corridor, to be an educational purposes corridor, etc.)
have been determined.
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STEP 3: DATA INTEGRITY AND STATISTICAL RESULTS
Determination of percentage and relations of survey data. In this step some results
of the survey are given. In the evaluation of the survey results the average values
of statistical results are given by using SPSS 16.0 software and determining frequency values.
Determination of land use rules. All previous assessments of this step, as a result
of GIS analysis to be performed later determining land use decisions for corridor
have been shown on the maps.
STEP 4: ASSESSMENTS AND PRESENTATION:
In this step, some results of the survey, maps prepared in GIS environment and
presentations prepared in other visualisation programs were given. Statistical
evaluations of the survey conducted have been presented with tables and graphs.
By discussing the findings of the research, recommendations are presented for
planning, implementation and management purposes with greenway model of
urban valleys.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Results of Toklu Valley. Toklu (Karsiyaka) Valley that is the working area is a
valley that opens to the state coast road between Karsiyaka District in west and
Toklu and Aydinlikevler Districts in east. This valley as well as other valleys that
have unspoiled constructions in Trabzon, that can be reached from the beach
directly and has an uncut the connection with environment, has a quiet and calm
ambience; between the areas of life and education; is home to a rich countryside
tissue in an urban tissue.
1st Stage; the area between State Coast Road and Yavuz Selim Avenue has
been identified. Particularly the relation with activity areas in coast road is high.
2nd Stage limit starts from Yavuz Selim Avenue and proceeds to the bridge
located in the area. There are two entrances to this area. First one is the 5 m
secondary road located in the southwestern of the avenue and second one is 5 m
secondary road that opens 800 m from the sea through Toklu District. Along the
way, the landscape accompanies to valley floor with a wooded route. This route
provides the urban-rural linkages.
3rd Stage which is our last stage begins with the southern border of passive
activity area and extends along the greenhouse terrain. The location and terrain
that found in allows the activities like greenhouse cultivation and stockbreeding
(beekeeping and sponging of small ruminants-bovine animals).
Determination of percentage and relations of survey data. 61.90% of respondents
participating in the survey were female and 38.10% were male.
616
67.8% of respondents participating in the survey were between 15–25 years,
16.67% were 26–35 years, 7.1% were between 56–65 years, 4.76% were between
36–45 years, 2.38% were between 46–55 years and 1.19 % were 66 years and above.
65.48% of respondents participating in the survey were students, 8.33 % were
officers, 5.95% were housewives, 3.57% were retired, and 16.67% were among
other professions.
70.24% of respondents participating in the survey were graduated from university, 20.24% were graduated from postgraduate, 4.76% were graduated from
high school, 3.57% were graduated from primary school and 1.19% were graduated from secondary school.
When the average results were analysed, it was observed to fulfill the several
listed functions. Especially it is considered to be a very major contribution in the
subjects of ‘Urban-Rural-Natural Areas Connection (4.7500)’, ‘Recreation Facility
(4.5476)’, ‘Identity Addition (4.5238)’ and ‘Socialisation (4.5119)’. ‘Subtransportation (3.7976)’, ‘Accessibility (3.8214)’ and ‘Education (3.9048)’ will contribute
less in the study area.
When the stages are analysed separately, for 1st stage ‘Recreation (4.4286)’,
for 2nd stage ‘Recreation (4.4762)’ and for 3rd stage ‘Ecological (4.2857) and
Education (4.2619)’ functions come forward (Table 1).
Table 1. Average values of given points of awarded functions as planning Toklu Valley a greenway
within separately stages
A-recreation
A-scenic
A-historical cultural
A-ecological
A-education
B-recreation
B-scenic
B-historical cultural
B-ecological
B-education
C-recreation
C-scenic
C-historical cultural
C-ecological
C-education
Valid N (listwise)
N
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
minimum
2.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
3.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
2.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
Average statistics
maximum
average
5.00
4.4286
5.00
3.0595
5.00
2.8452
5.00
3.3690
5.00
3.6667
5.00
4.4762
5.00
3.5952
5.00
2.9881
5.00
3.8810
5.00
3.7976
5.00
4.3690
5.00
3.8810
5.00
3.0000
5.00
4.2857
5.00
4.2619
std. deviation
0.69915
1.19589
1.26581
1.30596
1.14422
0.68506
1.13136
1.24662
0.96199
1.00336
0.83276
0.94938
1.31717
0.85829
1.00743
Note: absolutely disagree – 1, disagree – 2, neutral – 3, agree – 4, absolutely agree – 5.
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Planning strategies, determination of goals and functions. As a result of the inventory and land analysis carried out in Toklu Valley, an approach that was defined by
Ahern in 1995 which assesses the opportunities and protects the planning strategies
which has been followed for the area and the area has dealt with a planning approach
to ensure the sustainability of the existing natural and cultural values, primarily
for the people of Trabzon city and targeting the masses of tourist visiting the city.
As a result of survey application given in Table 1 assessment of area analyses;
the corridor has found suitable for recreation, scenic, ecological and educational
functions. Then, suggestion function map and sections are presented in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1. Suggestion function map and sections
CONCLUSIONS
This project work that is not found in the city of our country is a planning model
revealing a planning approach and dealing with landscape planning approaches.
Such a model may be an example for other cities. In this way, examples can be
formed by creating a model that deals with landscape planning approaches in
the lack of zoning plan. It is among the original values of the research to present
concrete proposals for a multi-functional planning approach that will improve the
quality of life of the city people, will protect the natural and cultural values of the
city, will improve the city climate, will offer alternative transportation opportuni-
618
ties, will reveal the urban-rural connection, will allow people the opportunity to
make recreational activities:
● Natural valleys in urban areas, are the corridors that needed to protect ecologically. At this point, there are important functions in terms of urban ecosystem.
A landscape planning approach will be presented by emphasising on this topic
with such a work.
● Such valleys are areas that should be left as corridors that used as green
area and allowed air circulation. In this sense, the research project will reveal a
planning approach model for other cities.
● Because of transportation that has become a major problem in our cities
every day, drivers provided to use other routes by creating alternative roads.
● Reducing effect can be created for environmental pollution (visual pollution, noise pollution, air pollution, etc.) by making the pedestrian or non-motorised
vehicle transportation possible.
● Survival effect can be created in the city by creating recreational areas for
people that can spend their free time.
● Qualified green spaces in the city and the amount of green space for per
person can be increased.
● The awareness of locals and foreign tourists about the city can be increased,
in historical-cultural and natural resource values with semantic values of rich routes.
This study on the lack of zoning plans in landscape planning approaches while
planning the urban open green space systems reveals an approach for the planning
of the valleys. This approach can be an example for many other urban valley.
Natural and cultural resource values of said valley may be integrated into the
system and may be loaded many different functions with this planning approach
that can access to large scale between urban-rural areas, a basic may be created
for a large greenway system.
This study is an example work that demonstrates the functions by taking a
holistic approach to urban green space, not the solution of point but the solution
of whole, in the meaning of the whole area to be planned in this line. This is
an approach that increases the green area per capita by increasing the qualified
green spaces. It takes attention to the concept of sustainable urbanisation and the
greenway.
Acknowledgements. This study make use of ‘Greenway Planning Approach on Urban Corridors:
Toklu Valley and Trabzon-Golcayir Village Route Example’ titled which was a part of the KTU BAP
(10741) project. We would like to thank KTU BAP for their support.
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Received 11 February 2016
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