Assessing the visual quality of forest park landscapes: A case study of the Barajin park in Qazvin's suburb area, Iran

The visual assessment of forest park landscapes is of great importance for planning their design, organization, conservation and management. In this study, the visual quality of Barajin Forest Park located in the suburban area of Qazvin, Iran, has been examined based on the conceptual framework developed by Tveit et al. Seven visual criteria of sense of order, coherence, disturbance, visibility, imageability, diversity, and naturalness were assessed using an online survey with photography representation. Collected data from respondents were coded and analyzed using SPSS into Expert and Non-expert respondents. Results show that naturalness, coherence, visibility, and imageability were the most important parameters of visual quality. Little difference was found between the perceptions of Experts and Non-experts. These results highlight the importance of including visual landscape metrics in planning and management of urban forest parks for optimizing visitor experience and ensuring ecological sustainability. By applying the Tveit et al. framework to a non-European context (Iran), this study tests its international relevance. Key outcomes indicate a strong convergence between expert and public perceptions, and highlight the critical role of 'naturalness' as an indicator in a comparatively dry suburban park.

کلیدواژه ها:

Landscape assessment ، Visual quality ، Forest park ، Barajin ، Qazvin