Investigation of land cover changes and social pressures in forest areas in Turkey: the case of Drahna Forest Planning Unit.

Social pressure on the forest ecosystem was investigated in this study with the aim of identifying and mapping the areas dominated by this pressure. Using the ArcGIS 10.4, three different "affected zones" (0–250, 251–500, and 501–1000 m) were established to cover the 250, 500, and 1000 m perimeters of the residential areas included in the forest cover type map of 1967. Within these zones, the changes in the forest ecosystem over a 40-year period (1967–2006) were presented in terms of land cover, tree species, developmental stages, and canopy closure class, and the areas where social pressure was observed were determined. It was observed that the general forest area (normal + degraded) had decreased within a 500-m distance of settlement areas and increased beyond 500 m. Despite the decline in the social pressure of the population on forest areas, this decrease was sustained within a 500-m distance of residential areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]