Landscape Planning and Design Approaches for Ecologically Sustainable Cities

Rapidly increasing urbanization trends at the global level increase the interest in sustainable urban life, while also revealing their effects on ecological balance more clearly. In particular, increasing urban areas create negative effects on ecosystems and quality of life through factors such as increasing air temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. This rapid urbanization process negatively affects the natural ecosystems in urban areas, ecosystems are fragmented, deteriorated and even face the danger of complete extinction. For this reason, the development of planning methods to preserve ecological balance has become a great necessity. These planning approaches are seen as the cornerstones of building sustainable cities. Factors such as spatial diversity and temperature variations play a vital role in understanding ecological processes. In this context, although studies on the design and maintenance of sustainable urban landscapes continue, more effective strategies are needed to ensure the sustainability of these landscapes in the long term. Many innovative ideas regarding urban landscape planning and design have been developed in recent years. However, there has been limited success in applicability of these ideas from a sustainability perspective. Sustainable landscape planning and design helps improve environmental quality and multiply social benefits through the integration of various materials and methods in the creation, construction and management of urban areas. Sustainability-focused approaches to landscape planning and design include restoration and enhancement of natural systems, sustainable management of resources, efficient use of water and energy, and protection of external environmental quality. The aim of this study is to discuss new strategies at the urban level. In this way, it is aimed to take ecosystem protection measures in urban areas, create livable environments and achieve sustainability goals more effectively.