Evaluating Visual Quality of Natural Landscapes to Achieve Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Margoon Waterfall Protected Area, Iran

Abstract

Margoon waterfall protected area due to its ecological and environmental values and capitals can attract native and exotic tourists but incompatible development plan to the natural capitals of this site causes many problems. Therefore, the current research was formed to present sustainable strategies in Margoon protected area. In the current research, survey method has applied. To find reasons of the tourists and native communities' presentence, a questionnaire is prepared in two parts and distributed to 100 tourists. To achieve the problems of development plan, 14 points are choosing in the case study (Margoon waterfall protected area). These points located in privileged, ordinary, and poor landscapes in development plan. To analyze the visual evaluation of these points, GIS software is used.

Keywords: Visual analysis, Sustainable design, Natural landscape