Scale-Based Planning Process in Landscape Restoration Using Landscape Ecology Approach

Planning at the landscape scale hasgoals and strategies designedand adjustedto this scale. The aim of this planning is to achieve sustainable design with participation of different groups such as ecologists, planners, landscape architects, economists and other relevant bodies.Adescriptive- analytic method was applied in the current research to present scale to the planning process in landscape restoration. Based onthe analysis of the criteria obtained from theoretical bases, a questionnaire wasrandomlydistributed among 65 experts of landscape design, environmental design and ecologists and SPSS software was used for analyzing the gathered data. The results of this research indicate that landscape scale planning involves integrated analysis of the current status of the landscape, dimension analysis in landscape scale (temporal, spatial and modification dimensions), landscape condition assessment, functional disorders and visual disturbance analysis, landscape’s need and identification of the conservation and development goals. The results also emphasize on categorizing the planning strategies intothree groups of conservation, restoration and development. If the landscape has low visual disturbance and weak condition, conservation strategies have to be suggested. Conversely, in low visual disturbance and functional disorders, restoration strategies should be used. Finally, if the landscape has low functional disorders and visual disturbance and is in good condition, conservation strategies should be recommended.