Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
of a few kilometres. On a single mountain, one can experience a tropical climate at
the base, a temperate zone at medium altitudes followed by alpine conditions higher
up, and finally an arctic environment with snow and glaciers on the highest peaks
(Mountain Agenda, 1999 ).
The Eastern Black Sea Region's mountainous areas have a strong potential for
tourism owing to its natural beauties and cultural features. This area is Turkey's
greenest region with outstanding natural beauty and has its lush green mountains
and valleys, glaciers, glacial lakes, and clear gushing mountain streams. With their
mountain meadows adorned with colourful wildflowers, the highlands of the region
are characterized by their spruce forests. The verdant appearance and lush green
slopes of the region are due not only to the abundant rainfall but also to the humid
and foggy weather. The humidity and the foggy weather gives way to a brilliant
sunshine and oxygen-rich fresh mountain air as one ascends from the coastal areas
high up to the mountains.
The region has four national parks, one biosphere reserve, one natural park, and
four areas for preservation of nature in the mountainous areas. The area is also sprin-
kled with early Byzantine and Genoese monasteries and castles, rising impressively
from the steep hill sides, and is renowned with their strong cultural traditions.
Tourism in mountainous areas has recently begun to diversify to fill different
niches, including: hiking, trekking, climbing, water sports, air sports, bird-watching,
and to meet the needs for local produce, and handicrafts (Karadeniz and Somuncu,
2003 ; Somuncu, 2007 ).
Sustainable rural tourism is one of the major components of the Eastern Black
Sea Regional Development Plan. Sixteen tourism centres were created in moun-
tainous area in the region by Turkish Government. Sustainable Rural Tourism
Development Plans were prepared for these centres by Ministry of Culture and
Tourism. Transportation, electricity, communication, and accommodation facilities
were developed in the centres. Today, the mountains of the Eastern Black Sea
Region have become well-known and popular tourist destination and are visited by a
growing number of foreign and Turkish tourists. Tourism has contributed greatly to
rural development in the region. The rise of tourism as a business has brought great
benefits to the mountain areas in the region. Tourism has provided local people with
additional income and employment, opened new career opportunities, and created
markets for both high-quality traditional products and local products from moun-
tain areas. Tourism is also opening new ideas and cultural exchange to the mountain
region (Karadeniz and Somuncu, 2003 ; Somuncu, 1997 , 2007 ).
18.4.3 The Kaçkar Mountains National Park: A Model
for Sustainable Mountain Development
The Kaçkar Mountains National Park is situated in Rize Province in the Eastern
Black Sea Region. The Park was created in 1994 and covers 51,500 ha. There are
11 villages and 44 yaylas in the National Park. Villagers mainly keep cattle, sheep
and goats, or live off the forest, and to lesser degree they farm. Tea is the leading
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