Recreational Use of Protected Areas Found in The Eastern Black Sea Region

Protected areas are areas where educational and recreational use of natural and cultural areas with special precaution is provided where educational activities and scientific research are carried out, genetic diversity and species are kept, cultural, traditional, symbolic natural resources are avoided and sustainable from damaging effects. Recreation is, as a definition, expressed as activities that people make with their own will in their free time in order to restore old weariness of soul and body health. In this study, the protected areas in the provinces of Artvin, Giresun, Gümüşhane, Rize and Trabzon in Eastern Black Sea Region were selected as material. It is aimed to determine and compare visitor numbers between 2010-2017 in these areas. The visitor numbers of provinces were compared using one way ANOVA. As of 2018, there are 3 protected areas in Artvin, 5 in Gümüşhane, 8 in Trabzon, 6 in Rize and 4 in Giresun as recreational use. Total protected areas within the boundaries of the regional directorate are 450,411 in 2010, 555,678 in 2011, 973,391 in 2012, 1,936,608 in 2013, 1,601,913 in 2014, 1,458,617 in 2015, 1,558,290 in 2016, and finally 1,911,429 in 2017 people visited the site. As a result, visitor numbers have increased in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and there has been no decrease in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 and 2017, the number of visitors has increased again. The largest number of visitors was registered in 2013, and the least number of visitors was registered in 2010. The most visited province was Trabzon while the least visited was in Giresun province. It can be said that as the number of visitors increases with the number of years, it is important that the number of declared protected areas increase, the protected areas become more capable of providing quality services, and the recreation needs of people increase gradually.