738 Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.11 (1), January 2013 www.world-food.net Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment Vol.11 (1): 738-744. 2013 WFL Publisher Science and Technology Meri-Rastilantie 3 B, FI-00980 Helsinki, Finland e-mail: info@world-food.net Sustainability of the Mediterranean landscape in the urban: The case study of Antalya-Konyaaltı region Hande Sanem Cinar 1 , Reyhan Erdogan 2 *, Hakan Altıncekic 1 and Ekin Oktay 2 1 Department of Landscape Architecture, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. 2 Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, Akdeniz University, Fourth Blok, 07070 Campus, Antalya, Turkey. *e-mail: reyhanerdogan@akdeniz.edu.tr, saneme@istanbul.edu.tr, hakana@istanbul.edu.tr, eoktay@akdeniz.edu.tr Received 2 October 2012, accepted 26 January 2013. Abstract Antalya has been the centre of culture, art, architecture and mythology throughout its history. With its nature made up of dark blue seas, spectacular Taurus mountains, fervent waterfalls and world known holiday villages is what makes Antalya the capital of Tourism. Human impact on natural landscapes through urbanization era is becoming more and more dramatic and is the cause of serious environmental problems. Urban vegetation increased property values improve privacy and provide many environmental benefits. They reduce heating and cooling costs, reduce pollution, take up carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, provide habitat for wildlife, hold water and reduce soil erosion, but the mature plants that grace our cities today are not easily replaced. This makes care of our existing mature vegetation very important. The classic vegetation structures in Mediterranean-type ecosystems are evergreen shrublands dominated by species with sclerophyllous leaves. These shrublands are termed maquis or garrigue in the Mediterreranean Basin. Arbutus andrachne, Myrtus communis, Witex agnus catus, Nerium oleander, Phillyrea latifolia, Calicotome villosa, etc. maquis species are resistant to summer droughts, have deep rooting systems and resprouting capacity. Unfortunately, it is really difficult to see mature vegetation which belongs to Mediterranean vegetation in Antalya down town. However, the areas that are represent of the Mediterranean vegetation are facing extinction because of rapid urbanization in Antalya Konyaalti region. The aim of this study was to determine the protecting principles to existing Mediterranean vegetation and to put some suggestions for landscape design principles to sustain Mediterranean landscape in the Antalya Konyaalti region. Key words: Mediterranean, vegetation, urbanization, maquis, natural vegetation, protection, land-use, landscape, urban parks, Antalya. Introduction In space design disciplines, the term of the city identity is used with the term space identity. In sociological and cultural meanings these terms are very important for the identifying of spaces. City identity is build with the elements of the city which are historical buildings, natural-archaelogical places, coastal areas and natural protection areas 1 . There must be some important and unique elements that help to build a city identity. Lynch 2 has defined these elements as good designed space, planned environment that integrated with the nature, protection of the cultural and historical places and he avoided to define the city as a place that only public earn money or a place only selected activities done. In addition to these, public that lives in urban space should contribute to build of the city identity while they attend to the unique activities of the urban areas 3, 4 . In these point people must aware some important elements of the city heritage as natural historical and cultural valued areas. In this sense, Mediterranean cities are different from other part of the world by the view of distinctness. Mediterranean basin has special significance because its unique evolutionary and cultural history makes it one of the richest biological regions outside the tropics 5 . Urban landscape planning is the most important issue for the protection of the unique city characteristic areas. Urban landscape planning has a positive effect to build the city identity. Planning and managing of urban open spaces help it which is place peace between urban infrastructural, structural green and natural green areas and to plan places to serve recreational activities and satisfy the need to recreation of public 6 . Urban Landscape Planning helps to make a sustainable environment by using of these tools; * To make an urban open and green area system (urban parks, neighborhood parks, kindergartens, green corridors, refuges, agricultural areas, * To protect the bio-diversity in the urban and urban periphery ecosystem. * To protect the natural water harvesting basin patterns in the urban environment. * To protect of urban identity and improve the quality. * To protect of visual landscape values of perception in urban environment. * To protect the soil and vegetation cover and avoid from hard surfaces. Protection and improving of the natural vegetation is a way of