An investigation into natural hazards threatening World Heritage Sites: Göreme National Park

Natural risks to world heritage values can cause loss of life, health problems, social and economic losses, and damage to the natural and cultural environment. These risks are categorized by size, intensity, initial rate, duration, and extent, and can refer to both current events and future threats. In some cases, natural factors can eliminate heritage areas or incorporate them into the natural landscape, creating a unique layer of value. Natural events, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, floods, climatic events, and landslides, can reveal the qualities that constitute heritage value. While supernatural events can be interpreted as divine acts, geophysicists, seismologists, meteorologists, and geologists associate natural events with the physical conditions that produce them. In the latter half of the ۲۰th century, technological advancements made it possible to predict natural events, leading to the adoption of precautions against potential disasters. The level of risk elimination and recovery activities depend on population density and economic activities in risk-exposed regions. Identifying and analyzing risks is crucial in designing policies, strategies, and actions to mitigate the consequences of such events. Neglecting to take necessary precautions against natural phenomena can lead to damage and endangerment of cultural and natural heritage areas. Technological advancements have enabled predictions, planning, and preparation plans for possible consequences of natural disasters. The reduction of nature-related risks requires increased political and economic commitment, and international organizations should prioritize their policies and strategies effectively. These risks can be classified into three main groups: natural processes affecting the physical environment (humidity, temperature, groundwater, and wind), sudden ecological and geological events (landslides, earthquakes, erosion, siltation/accumulation, tsunami/tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, and fires), and climatic disasters (changes in ocean waters, desertification, drought, floods, other climate change effects, storms, and temperature changes). Cities and nature have been impacted by various factors resulting in risks that threaten heritage sites. Damage to cultural heritage sites leads to losses in history and poses risks for social, cultural, economic, and political losses. To address these issues, the study examined UNESCO Heritage areas, made recommendations using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and developed a sustainable GIS database for conservation efforts of multiple stakeholders. The study manages risks to heritage areas in the Göreme National Park and UNESCO Göreme National Park Borders by analyzing natural and human-induced risks. "Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods" are used to classify risk types and factors through UNESCO studies, and a GIS database is created to identify, map, and track risks. The importance of risks is determined using the "Analytical Hierarchy Process" method in GIS. The study is divided into two groups: UNESCO World Heritage and Göreme National Park, with the first group providing theoretical infrastructure and the second group being specific to the field of study. Literature review and GIS data are used for the first group, while the second group involves archive scanning and field work to determine risks.

کلیدواژه ها:

UNESCO World Heritage ، Nature Risks ، Risk Management ، Göreme National Park