KUZALAN ŞELALESİ TABİAT PARKI’NIN COĞRAFİ ÖZELLİKLERİ İLE EKOTURİZM VE REKREASYON OLANAKLARI BAKIMINDAN İNCELENMESİ

INVESTIGATION OF GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES AND ECOTURISM AND RECREATİON OPPORTUNITIES OF KUZALAN WATERFALL NATURAL PARK

Özet

Tabiat parkları gibi koruma alanları, son yıllarda ekoturizm ve rekreasyonel faaliyetler için değerlendirilebilmektedir. Uygulama sahası bir tabiat parkı olunca yapılacak ekoturizm aktivitelerinin ve rekreasyonel faaliyetlerin çok daha dikkatli bir şekilde gerçekleştirilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu bağlamda koruma alanlarının bazı kısımlarının kontrollü ve çevresel etkilerin minimum düzeyde tutularak doğasever insanların ilgisine açılması, ekoturizm ve rekreasyon faaliyetlerinin geliştirebilmesi mümkün olabilmektedir. Doğu Karadeniz Bölümü'nde yer alan Giresun ilinde doğal güzellikleri ile dikkat çeken, ekoturizm aktivitelerinin ve rekreasyon faaliyetlerinin yapılabileceği tabiat parkları mevcuttur. Bu bağlamda çalışma sahamız olan ve 2013 yılında tabiat parkı ilan edilerek koruma altına alınan Kuzalan Şelalesi Tabiat Parkı, değerlendirilebilecek bir doğal ortamdır. Giresun ilinin Dereli ilçesi sınırları içerisinde yer alan tabiat parkı, milli park düzeyinde doğal kaynak potansiyeline sahiptir. Söz konusu tabiat parkı, başta Kuzalan Şelalesi ve travertenler olmak üzere şelaleleriyle, demirli ve kükürtlü suların çıktığı gözeleriyle, traverten mağaralarıyla, ladin, kayın, göknar ve şimşir ağaçlarıyla, su basar ormanıyla, zengin flora ve faunasıyla ve tarihi değirmenleriyle dikkat çekmektedir. Bunun yanı sıra hemen yakınındaki Kuzalan Mahallesi ve Alancık köy yerleşmesi ile Kulakkaya Yaylası gibi yayla yerleşmelerinde Karadeniz kırsal yaşam kültürünün ilgi çekici örnekleri de mevcuttur. Dolayısıyla sürdürülebilirlik ilkesine titizlikle uyulmasıyla tabiat parkının değerlendirilebilmesi, rekreasyonel faaliyetlerin ve bazı ekoturizm etkinliklerinin (doğa yürüyüşü, foto safari, yaban hayatı gözlemciliği, botanik turizmi, sportif olta balıkçılığı, manzara izleme, kamp ve karavan turizmi, köy gezileri vb) gerçekleştirilebilmesi mümkündür. Böylesi doğal mekanların dikkatlice ekoturizme kazandırılmasıyla hem bu bölgede doğa koruma bilincinin yaygınlaştırılması hem turizm faaliyetlerinin çeşitlendirilmesi hem de bölge ekonomisine önemli katkılar yapılabilmesi mümkün olabilir

Abstract

Protected areas like natural parks can be utilized for ecotourism and recreational activities in recent years. When the practice area is a natural park then ecotourism activities and recreational activities should to be performed more carefully. In this context, ecotourism and recreational activities can be developed on the basis of opening some parts of the protected areas for interest of nature friendly people in a controlled way by minimizing environmental effects. In the city of Giresun, located in the Eastern Black Sea Region, there are natural parks which attract attention with their natural beauties, ecotourism and recreational activities. In this sense, Kuzalan Waterfall Natural Park, which is a study area and protected by being declared a nature park in 2013, is a natural environment to be evaluated. The natural park is located within the boundaries of the Dereli district of Giresun city having natural resource potential at the national park level. The natural park attracts attention with mainly its Kuzalan Waterfall and travertine and waterfalls, headwaters sprinkle ferrous and sulfuric water, travertine caves, spruce, beech, fir and boxwood trees and forest, rich flora and fauna and historic mills. In addition, there are interesting examples of Black Sea Region rural life culture in nearby Kuzalan neighborhood and Alancık village settlement and Kulakkaya plateau. Therefore, evaluation of Natural Park is possible and recreational activities and ecotourism activities (trekking, hiking, photo safari, wildlife observance, botanical tourism, sportive fishing, landscape watching, and camping and caravan tourism) can be performed by paying attention to the protection-use balance and complying with sustainability principle. It may be possible to spread the awareness of protection of nature in this region, diversifying tourism activities and making important contributions to the regional economy by carefully gaining such natural sites to ecotourismProtected areas like natural parks can be utilized for ecotourism and recreational activities in recent years. When the practice area is a natural park then ecotourism activities and recreational activities should to be performed more carefully. In this context, ecotourism and recreational activities can be developed on the basis of opening some parts of the protected areas for interest of nature friendly people in a controlled way by minimizing environmental effects. In Giresun province there are protected delicate and natural regions with high natural resources potential and remarkable natural beauty where ecotourism and recreational activities can be developed and ecotourism activities and recreation activities can be performed. In the province of Giresun there are 4 natural parks, 8 natural sites, 3 natural assets and 28 monumental trees are registered. Kuzalan Waterfall Natural Park, which is a study area and protected by being declared a nature park in 2013, is a natural environment to be evaluated. The natural park is located within the boundaries of the Dereli district of Giresun city having natural resource potential at the national park level. Kuzalan Şelalesi Nature Park, with its convenient location, easy accessibility and natural and cultural tourism resources, has a higher level of interest and higher visitor potential than other nature parks in Giresun Province. The fact that it is the one of the most popular natural environments in the province and increasing use of Natural Park caused emergence of people and vehicle pressure. This is why we have directed our attention to this natural park and it was very effective for us to choose this region as a research area. The main aim of this study is to disclose attraction, ecotourism and recreational potential of Kuzalan Falls Natural Park and to elicit reflection of human and vehicle pressure caused by intensive use of Natural Park, identification of emerging issues and prospective solution suggestions for future Kuzalan Falls Natural Park is one of the four natural parks in the province of Giresun. Kuzalan Falls Natural Park having resources at the level of national part and its immediate vicinity has own natural, historic and considerable potential in terms of cultural attractions. Above all, Kuzalan Falls, which has been the inspiration for the name of the natural park and hosting many visitors as the most visited natural attraction of the natural park, attracts attention with its visual sense. The presence of travertine, which is considered to be the most attractive forms of karst topography, is also important elements of Natural Park’s great natural resource potential. The travertine located in the natural park has natural charms worth seeing with the beauties similar to Hierapolis. In addition to these elements, travertine caverns and pits, other waterfalls, sulfur, ferrous, mineral and fresh water springs are also noteworthy natural attractions of the region. The natural park is also very rich in terms of flora and fauna. Especially beech, white birch, elm, fir, spruce and forest and boxwood communities having monumental tree feature have ideal characteristics for the botanical tour. Many species of fauna live in natural parks such as various bird species, reptiles, mammals and amphibians. In this context, wildlife observation can be evaluated as well. Historical and cultural attractions are also available in the natural park and its immediate surroundings. There are historical bridges and monasteries in the natural park with 2 historical mills in the natural park. There are no settlements within the natural park, and there are nearby Kuzalan and Alancık villages and highland tourism centers such as Kulakkaya and Kümbet. In these settlements, there are traditional architectural dwellings, homes and various cultural attractions such as local handicrafts and local food styles, festivals as reflections of the Black Sea village culture. Hence, ecotourism activities such as photog