.Abstract
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.Pictures from
  Bodrum project

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Bodrum Peninsula, extending from the Güllük Wetland to the Azmak Cape (Gökova), is among the remarkable coastal areas in Turkey. In 1960’s, the whole of the Peninsula was evaluated as a candidate for ”national park” designation. Today, it suffers from serious stresses of improper development and environmental degradation.
The coastal areas of the Peninsula, extending about 100 km in length, have been subjected to intense secondary housing developments during the last two decades. Parallel to this holiday demand of the Turkish people mainly residing in three major cities (İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir), tourism has also developed at relatively modest pace due to the considerable distance (three hours drive) of the nearest international airport at Dalaman. More recently, mariculture facilities have started crowding the sheltered coves especially along the northern shores. Although a land use plan (scale 1: 5 000) exists for the Peninsula, the development has not followed a coherent pattern. 
On the other hand, the coastal areas of Bodrum Peninsula still house important environmental and ecological qualities. A part of the coast, especially the northern sector, has remained pristine mainly due to state ownership. These areas are extremely valuable for increasing the quality of life over the Peninsula in the future. On the other hand, various segments of the coast are known to be important habitats for the highly endangered mammal, the Mediterranean Monk Seal. Finally, there exists several important historical sites, dating back to several centuries B.C. 
Because of the features briefly described above, the Bodrum Peninsula today serves as a laboratory for demonstration of use conflicts, environmental damage cases, and resource management problems. This GEF Small Grants Program Project aims to study these issues and question the existing institutions taking part in coastal zone management in Turkey today, in order to come up with recommendations which would be valuable for proper management of the Bodrum Peninsula coastal areas in the future, and of other similar coastal sites.