Assessing sustainability in urban forests: A case analysis of Atatürk urban forest (Bursa)

Abstract

Urban forests, as part of the green infrastructure systems in cities, are also important components of natural systems. To ensure the sustainability of urban forests, ecological, social, and economic dimensions must be addressed holistically. In this context, qualitative and quantitative evaluations conducted in Atatürk Urban Forest have revealed significant findings regarding the socio-cultural, economic, and ecological sustainability of the urban forest. Atatürk Urban Forest covers an area of 150 hectares and constitutes important urban green infrastructure for Bursa. Sustainability indicators were defined within this study, and an approach for calculating sustainability performance values was developed. In this approach, 32 sustainability indicators were calculated based on parameters such as area size, distance, volume, shape, and the number of facilities. As a result of the calculations, Atatürk Urban Forest’s sustainability performance value was determined to be 187.76 (62.58%). However, this value indicates that there are certain shortcomings in terms of sustainability. Addressing these shortcomings will enhance the quality of sustainability indicators, and Atatürk Urban Forest will play a significant role as a sustainable urban green infrastructure.