Assessment of Landscape Types and Aesthetic Qualities by Visual Preferences (Tokat, Turkey)

Abstract

Landscape visual aesthetic quality is an important natural resource worldwide, just as the plants, aquatic and terrain based on landscapes, mines, and fossil fuels are. Determining the factors that drive the expert consensus on the aesthetic quality is therefore an important step in developing better landscape solutions. In the present study, the aim was to determine the landscape types that had a strong impact on the consensus and opinions of the experts that took part in the study. The photographs of four different landscape types were used in the study to evaluate the effects of two possible sources of influence, namely the "Landscape visual aesthetic quality" (VAQ) and the landscape types, on the consensus of experts' visual preferences for the Tokat province (Turkey). The landscape type that obtained the highest score in landscape evaluation was discussed for protection in terms of the scope of the sustainable environment studies, while the landscape that obtained the lowest score was discussed for transformation and improvements.