Ecotourism land capability evaluation using spatial multi criteria evaluation.

Study ahead, aims at examination of applicability of multi criteria evaluation in land suitability analysis. In recent years, multiple criteria decision making models have been entered in the field of ecological land evaluation studies significantly. Among the important features of multiple criteria decision-making system can be named its involving with various factors weight, or quantifying experts' opinions in decision-making models. In this study, a region with an extent of 7181 ha was selected in Dohezar Basin (located on northern part of Iran) in which the land capability was evaluated for tourism land use using multi criteria evaluation. All criteria were weighed using experts' opinion and relevant standards and ultimately areas were selected as suitable places for tourism which have the highest suitability. Compared with the traditional model in which some important factors is ignored due to its limited ability in simultaneous consideration of all effective criteria as well as poor integration and weighting, can be easily inferred that such a model can not be held accountable in watershed decision-making levels, especially in small and complex physiographic conditions. In multiple criteria evaluation methods, all the indicators after forming the decision matrix and weighting process, were integrated and classified based on the rating received for tourism potentiality, and the suitability map for the tourism land use was prepared. The results of this approach, while consistent with the existing conditions, also has made possible the appropriate decision making to allocate the land to different land uses.