Rural Tourism Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

A MODEL PROPOSAL FOR CONSERVATION OF ABANDONED RURAL SETTLEMENTS IN TURKEY: CASE STUDY OF ODEMIS-LUBBEY VILLAGE
Following the industrial revolution, abandonment and decrease of the population in rural areas are common problems that could be seen all over the world, as a result of various factors. However, many of these abandoned rural settlements have invaluable vernacular assets that bear the traces of past rural life and comprise the spirit of these cultural landscape areas. The de-populization process leads to neglection, gradually deterioration and finally destruction of traditional environment that has been built with the experiences of centuries. Traditional rural settlements whose vulnerabilities increase day by day, reflect the life, architectural approach, building technology, construction techniques, craftsmanship and landscape features of their period and requires a holistic view for its protection. The loss of human life, which is the main element with nature that comprises the rural settlements, not only causes the loss of cultural heritage but also affects natural life, agricultural landscape and bio-diversity negatively. After abandonment rural landscape started to desertificate in short term and become vulnerable against the natural disasters.
Transfering life, culture and architectural fabric of rural settlements to the future generations is critical for the history of humanity. Although there are several recommendations regarding the management and protection of the rural areas in Turkey and in the World, there is a lack of specialized method for the conservation of cultural and natural heritage of abandoned rural settlements with many location-specific issues. Starting from this findings “Rural Architecture, Policies Developed for Rural Areas In Turkey and Europe, Evolution in the Conservation Theory of Rural Heritage”, “Abandonment Reasons and Process in Rural Settlemens, Impacts of Abandonment” and “Re-Evaluation Possibilities of Rural Settlements” chapters were discussed in detail and a conservation model, which can be used on a global scale, developed for the conservation of abandoned rural settlements. It is believed the conservation model can be used in future scientific studies about the conservation of rural settlements and can be developed by the inter-disciplinary contributions.
While first practices about the conservation of rural architecture, which was emerged as moving rural buildings from authenthic locations to an open-air museum, can been understandable by its time, nowadays it can’t be considered as a conservation approach except extraordinary situations.
It can be observed that, traditional rural life has been gradually weakened in settlements, where intense tourism activities carried out and problems like de-populization or abandonment can’t be seen. Not only in some cases that rural settlements have been re-functioned as a museum but also in some touristic uses, a sustainable life can’t always be ensured, therefore several challenges can be encountered in conservation of cultural properties. Tourism, which is used as a toolin developing the life standards and preventing the population loss in rural areas, sometimes creates an intense demand to a specific region and causes withdrawal of local communities from traditional rural life.
In some cases, rural settlements, which have been evacuated because of conflicts, wars, security problems, etc., have been resettled with their former residents after changes in conditions. Altough resettlements start the life in rural environments again, in some cases conservation of cultural heritage isn’t on the agenda and after the resettlement, residents prefer to build new buildings with new materials instead of repairing their traditional buildings. Another option for resettlement of the abandoned rural settlements can be seen in some examples. In this cases new rural residents coming by counter migration from urban centres to countryside start to live in an abandoned rural settlement. However restart of life in an abandoned village by this type of migration can be considered positive, there are some negative impacts like big interventions in restoration of cultural heritage, completely abandonment of traditional rural life, social disharmony between new and old residents, and etc. It can be said all three of museological, tourism and resettlement approaches for re-evaluation of abandoned rural settlements can be implement together or independently. On the other hand it shouldn’t be overlooked that all this approaches are a tool for conservation and vitality of rural settlements. Fragility of the traditional fabric because of long term neglection after abandonment, cultural landscape values, bio-diversity and intangible values should be taken into consideration in the implementation of this re- use alternatives.
As a result of all the researches, analysis and evaluations, the conservation model has been based on five main parts as “Definition of cultural and natural values and importance of the settlement”, “Determination of the re-evaluation alternatives”, “Determination of conservation policies”, “Implementation” and “Monitoring, evaluation and update”.
As a result of implemented policies and radical changes in social life, nowadays large number of rural settlements in Turkey are in the process of abandonment. Certainly, the biggest problem encountered in conservation of rural heritage is the loss of daily life in rural settlements. Although rural heritage in depopulated settlements have melted against the natural conditions by time, some settlements succeed to preserve their authenticity and integrity to a certain extent. On the other hand in some villages, which are more crowded and close to the city centers, authenticity and integrity values of traditional architectural heritage has been destroyed by human beings as a result of new construction pressures. This situation accompanies a big dilemma about conservation of traditional architectural heritage. Conceptual background about conservation of rural heritage has been developed relatively late in Turkey compared to Europe. Therefore Turkey faces different problems in rural areas then other European countries. It can be said that, successful implementations about conservation of rural heritage and preventing depopulation in rural areas in other countries, can be a model for Turkey. However, these successful policies and implementations should be evaluated in line with Turkey’s specific conditions. Based on this analysis, recommendations and evaluations specified to abandoned rural settlements in Turkey have been carried out in the conclusion part of thesis.