Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Dep. of Reclamation of Arid & Mountain Provinces, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Urban river-valleys, as mediating landscapes between natural systems and urban structures, play a critical role in enhancing social quality, collective experience, and urban identity. This study, employing a descriptive–analytical approach, evaluates the effectiveness of recent revitalization efforts in improving social quality and strengthening human connections in the eastern river-valleys of Tehran (Darabad and Darband). Theoretical data were collected through literature review and field observations, conceptually coded, and transformed into preliminary statements. After assessing conceptual adequacy, thematic frequency, and alignment with revitalization goals and SWOT dimensions, a final set of 12 statements was validated by academic experts. Instrument reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0/70. The statistical population included 30 specialists selected through purposive sampling: 20 university faculty members in watershed management, hydrology, geomorphology, landscape, and environmental studies (67%), and 10 senior managers and experts of Tehran Municipality in urban planning, sociocultural, and river-valley management (33%). Content validity was confirmed, and the final SWOT questionnaire, consisting of 12 items on a five-point Likert scale, was developed. Responses were weighted from 1 to 5 and classified into strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The SWOT results indicate that despite the social dynamism, cultural background, and valuable ecosystem services of Darabad and Darband, spatial fragmentation, perceived insecurity, infrastructural discontinuities, and dominance of engineering-oriented interventions have hindered the full realization of social and identity-based goals. The prevailing strategy is the conservative (ST) strategy, emphasizing the strategic use of natural, managerial, and institutional capacities to mitigate social–environmental threats. Achieving sustainable social quality requires moving beyond physical interventions and simultaneously reinforcing monitoring mechanisms, spatial cohesion, institutional capacities, and social participation.
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