Investigation of Social and Environmental Impacts Location of Cemeteries on the Surrounding Rural Settlements(Case Study: Rezvan Paradise of in the Mashhad Metropolis Frontage)

Cemeteries are historically, culturally, architecturally and archaeologically valuable resources. The cemetery space is not only for the dead, but also for the living because of their beloved graves.. Due to the expansion of Mashhad in terms of geography, population and the problems related to Behesht Reza Cemetry, Mashhad city managers have designed Behesht Rezvan Cemetery in north of Mashhad. The aim of this research is to investigate the social and environmental impacts of the cemetery on rural settlement around. The study is "applied" in terms of purpose and is "descriptive-analytical" in terms of method and nature. The statistic population consisted of residents of 5 villages located around Cemetery of Behesht Rezvan (N = 933). The sample size was 144 inhabitants of the sample villages, based on Cochran formula that were selected randomly. Questionnaire was used to collect data and measure research variables. The validity of the indices was evaluated and judged by 10 experts in the field of urban and rural planning studies. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed highly by the Cronbach's alpha test (0.895). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software in factor analysis method. The results of reduction of 23 variables showed 8 extracted factors that explain %71.54 of variance and indicated satisfactory factor analysis and the variables studied. Accordingly, the most important social and environmental impacts of Behesht Rezvan Cemetery are the factors of environmental health reduction with variance of 19.058, decrease in life expectancy with variance of 15.729 and security, psychological and psychological problems with variance of 12.157. According to the results of one-sample T-test, factors of life expectancy (10.777) and environmental health (10.382) had the highest impact on rural life. The results of the ARAS technique and the ranking of the sample villages confirmed that the impacts of cemetery on the nearby villages were greater and Gonbadvaz and Kalateh Timur villages were most affected.