IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/envsyd/v45y2025i2d10.1007_s10669-025-10014-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Tackling the resilience of the olive landscape through nature-based solutions: a case study from the Akdeniz protected area of Northern Cyprus

Author

Listed:
  • Gulay Cetinkaya Ciftcioglu

    (Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design)

Abstract

The olive landscape in the Mediterranean region has intentionally been designed and managed for various purposes for centuries. Although this landscape is crucial for the livelihoods of local communities, assessing its resilience remains uncertain due to the limited studies made so far. To contribute to this knowledge gap, this study aimed to assess the resilience of the olive landscape and explore appropriate nature-based solutions (NbS) for its protection and sustainable management in the Akdeniz protected area of Northern Cyprus by employing a range of resilience assessment indicators, a questionnaire designed on a 1–5 scoring system, and focus group discussions. The resilience of the olive landscape was evaluated within the context of four domains. The results showed that although the resilience of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation remains at a moderate level (3.29 points), there is a decline in the resilience of livelihood and well-being (2.78 points), traditional knowledge (1.84 points), and governance and social equity (2.67 points), respectively. The greatest degree of resilience was found in the indicators for food security (4.28 points), traditional diet (4.25 points), and lifestyle (4.23 points). However, the overall resilience of the olive landscape was estimated to be low at 2.77 points due to the impact of several landscape change drivers identified (e.g. land abandonment). Therefore, a typology of NbS, focusing on the category and types of NbS, was developed to tackle the resilience of the olive landscape and support the sustainable development of the region. Consequently, the concepts of resilience and NbS can serve as a guiding framework to promote the protection and sustainable management of the olive landscape in the region and beyond.

Suggested Citation

  • Gulay Cetinkaya Ciftcioglu, 2025. "Tackling the resilience of the olive landscape through nature-based solutions: a case study from the Akdeniz protected area of Northern Cyprus," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:envsyd:v:45:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s10669-025-10014-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10669-025-10014-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10669-025-10014-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10669-025-10014-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Angeliki Loumou & Christina Giourga, 2003. "Olive groves: ``The life and identity of the Mediterranean''," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 20(1), pages 87-95, March.
    2. Norman Myers & Russell A. Mittermeier & Cristina G. Mittermeier & Gustavo A. B. da Fonseca & Jennifer Kent, 2000. "Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities," Nature, Nature, vol. 403(6772), pages 853-858, February.
    3. Bieling Claudia & Plieninger Tobias & Trommler Kathrin, 2011. "Cross the border - close the gap: resilience-based analysis of landscape change (Editorial)," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 3(2), pages 1-10, January.
    4. Mª Genoveva Dancausa Millán & Javier Sanchez-Rivas García & Mª Genoveva Millán Vázquez de la Torre, 2023. "The Olive Grove Landscape as a Tourist Resource in Andalucía: Oleotourism," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-23, July.
    5. Kuang-Chung Lee & Paulina G. Karimova & Shao-Yu Yan & Yee-Shien Li, 2020. "Resilience Assessment Workshops: A Biocultural Approach to Conservation Management of a Rural Landscape in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, January.
    6. Gulay Cetinkaya Ciftcioglu & Osman Uzun & Fusun Erduran Nemutlu, 2016. "Evaluation of biocultural landscapes and associated ecosystem services in the region of Suğla Lake in Turkey," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(5), pages 538-554, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yunhui Yang & Keyu Bai & Guanhua Li & Devra I. Jarvis & Chunlin Long, 2020. "Assessment of the Resilience in SEPLS (Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes) in Yanuo Village, Xishuangbanna, Southwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-14, May.
    2. Laxmi D. Bhatta & Sunita Chaudhary & Anju Pandit & Himlal Baral & Partha J. Das & Nigel E. Stork, 2016. "Ecosystem Service Changes and Livelihood Impacts in the Maguri-Motapung Wetlands of Assam, India," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-14, June.
    3. Caviedes, Julián & Ibarra, José Tomás & Calvet-Mir, Laura & Álvarez-Fernández, Santiago & Junqueira, André Braga, 2024. "Indigenous and local knowledge on social-ecological changes is positively associated with livelihood resilience in a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    4. Maeda, Eduardo Eiji & Clark, Barnaby J.F. & Pellikka, Petri & Siljander, Mika, 2010. "Modelling agricultural expansion in Kenya's Eastern Arc Mountains biodiversity hotspot," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 103(9), pages 609-620, November.
    5. Aibo Jin & Gachen Zhang & Ping Ma & Xiangrong Wang, 2024. "Ecosystem Services Trade-Offs in the Chaohu Lake Basin Based on Land-Use Scenario Simulations," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-29, December.
    6. Wang, Lijing & Zhang, Lu & Xiao, Yi & Kong, Lingqiao & Ouyang, Zhiyun, 2025. "Identifying suitable areas for cropland and urban development in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    7. Chomitz, Kenneth M. & Thomas, Timothy S. & Brandão, Antônio Salazar P., 2005. "The economic and environmental impact of trade in forest reserve obligations: a simulation analysis of options for dealing with habitat heterogeneity," Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural (RESR), Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural, vol. 43(4), January.
    8. Elisa Barbour & Lara Kueppers, 2012. "Conservation and management of ecological systems in a changing California," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 111(1), pages 135-163, March.
    9. van der Hoff, Richard & Nascimento, Nathália & Fabrício-Neto, Ailton & Jaramillo-Giraldo, Carolina & Ambrosio, Geanderson & Arieira, Julia & Afonso Nobre, Carlos & Rajão, Raoni, 2022. "Policy-oriented ecosystem services research on tropical forests in South America: A systematic literature review," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    10. Brendan Fisher & Stephen Polasky & Thomas Sterner, 2011. "Conservation and Human Welfare: Economic Analysis of Ecosystem Services," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 48(2), pages 151-159, February.
    11. Pütz, S. & Groeneveld, J. & Alves, L.F. & Metzger, J.P. & Huth, A., 2011. "Fragmentation drives tropical forest fragments to early successional states: A modelling study for Brazilian Atlantic forests," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(12), pages 1986-1997.
    12. Stephanie D. Maier & Jan Paul Lindner & Javier Francisco, 2019. "Conceptual Framework for Biodiversity Assessments in Global Value Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-34, March.
    13. Sehgal, Shaina & Babu, Suresh, 2021. "Economic Transformation of the Nicobar Islands Post-tsunami: A Material Import–Export Analysis," Ecology, Economy and Society - the INSEE Journal, Indian Society of Ecological Economics (INSEE), vol. 4(02), July.
    14. Poonam Tripathi & Mukund Dev Behera & Partha Sarathi Roy, 2017. "Optimized grid representation of plant species richness in India—Utility of an existing national database in integrated ecological analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, March.
    15. Davis, Katrina & Pannell, David J. & Kragt, Marit & Gelcich, Stefan & Schilizzi, Steven, 2014. "Accounting for enforcement is essential to improve the spatial allocation of marine restricted-use zoning systems," Working Papers 195718, University of Western Australia, School of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
    16. Juliana Silveira dos Santos & Fausto Miziara & Hayla da Silva Fernandes & Renato Cezar Miranda & Rosane Garcia Collevatti, 2021. "Technification in Dairy Farms May Reconcile Habitat Conservation in a Brazilian Savanna Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, May.
    17. repec:plo:pone00:0132126 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Ariane Amin & Johanna Choumert, 2015. "Development and biodiversity conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa: A spatial analysis," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(1), pages 729-744.
    19. Sándor KESZTHELYI & Zsolt PÓNYA & Ferenc PÁL-FÁM, 2017. "Climate-induced seasonal activity and flight period of cerambycid beetles in the Zselic forests, Hungary," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 63(11), pages 503-510.
    20. Mahery Randrianarivo & François Guilhaumon & Johanès Tsilavonarivo & Andriamanjato Razakandrainy & Jacques Philippe & Radonirina Lebely Botosoamananto & Lucie Penin & Gildas Todinanahary & Mehdi Adjer, 2022. "A contemporary baseline of Madagascar’s coral assemblages: Reefs with high coral diversity, abundance, and function associated with marine protected areas," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(10), pages 1-28, October.
    21. Feng Dong & Chih-Ming Hung & Shou-Hsien Li & Xiao-Jun Yang, 2021. "Potential Himalayan community turnover through the Late Pleistocene," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 164(1), pages 1-10, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:envsyd:v:45:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s10669-025-10014-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.