Project Name: Biodiversity of the Anatolian Diagonal

Date: December 2006-December 2009

Place: Throughout Turkey

Role Of DKM: Project leader

Summary Of Project:

This project’s main goal was to provide a sound scientific basis for conserving biodiversity and natural resources in the Anatolian Diagonal, a project area of 870,000 km2 covering Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Anatolian Ecoregions. By developing a methodology for collecting, refining and analysing large, disparate data sets, the project aimed to produce robust results which could be used for regional Systematic Conservation Planning (SCP), and would encourage those involved in Turkey’s national conservation programmes to use SCP more widely.

The project started by researching, gathering and analysing new and existing data on species and landscape features from the project area, to produce a reliable dataset. İmprovements to the biological, geographical and socio-economic data from the literature were improved with new field data. Using habitat modelling, more complete maps of the likely distribution of the key species were developed. This data, together with a new ‘conservation opportunities’ layer, were used to identify priority areas in the region and to make practical recommendations for their conservation. 

Compared with previous studies that had used largely historical data (e.g. Aegean Gap Analysis) this multi-faceted approach to data collection and preparation facilitated a more robust conservation analysis. The project’s results have provided regional administrators with an effective planning tool to make informed development decisions and promote sustainable use of natural resources.

Objectives:

• implement Systematic Conservation Planning (SCP) in the Anatolian Diagonal.

Key Achievements:

• developed an effective planning tool for regional administrators.