Evaluating ecological capability for urban development using multi-criteria decision making models (Case Study: Ardabil Province)

One of the main stages of land use is the ecological capability of the land. Since it is impossible to limit the development of cities, they should be tailored to meet the needs of today and tomorrow, so that environmental damage can not be avoided. The purpose of this study is to assess the ecological capability of Ardabil province for urban development. . In this research, the zoning of the ecological capability of Ardabil province has been done by combining the fuzzy model and Shannon entropy, and then, using numerical taxonomy, priority has been given to environmental power in Ardabil province, in five optimal, favorable, moderate , Weak and very weak power of the region for sustainable urban development. The use of multi-criteria models, including fuzzy inference and the production of maps that are close to reality, can effectively assist in the identification of lands for the establishment and development of the city of Ardabil province. The results of this study showed that in both methods (fuzzy and taxonomic), northern parts of the province are suitable regions to the most suitable, the southern parts are inadequate, parts of the eastern parts are moderate to suitable and inappropriate western parts. According to the findings, the areas are very convenient 12.22%, suitable for 18.27%, 20.20%, inappropriate 25.13%, and very inappropriate 23.26% of the province. The results of the research can be of great help in locating the cities appropriately to prevent environmental crises and make sustainable and sustainable use of the