The ecological nature of the urban landscape of rivers, as one of the main pillars of natural ecosystems, has a significant impact on the environmental quality of cities. With the increase in urbanization and the expansion of human activities, these ecosystems have faced serious challenges in such a way that ecosystem pollution brings with it hydrological changes and destruction of animal habitats, which leads to the destruction of the river ecosystem and changes in its biological structure. In addition, interfering factors resulting from environmental hazards are also considered a serious threat to the ecosystem of inner-city rivers. Therefore, the necessity of ecological restoration of rivers in order to restore the urban landscape, natural ecosystems and increase their resilience to environmental changes and human interventions is a vital issue in the management of contemporary urban programs. This research, with developmental-applied objectives, with an exploratory-correlational method, with library data, first reviews the research literature and then, using authentic historical documents of the Haraz River, field observations and remote sensing images, develops a theoretical model with deductive-inferential analyses; finally, the ecological components effective in improving the urban landscape of inner-city rivers are extracted with a resilience approach. Hydrological components, biological and morphological diversity are known as key factors in the ecological structure of the river. Diversity, ecological variables, modularity, ecosystem services, development and overlap of rules, innovation, social capital and feedback review are the effective components in ecological resilience extracted to be placed in a process-oriented evolutionary structure and a theoretical model of restoration is developed. For this purpose, the study sample; The Haraz River in Amol city is examined and in order to realize the theoretical model, relevant strategies for improving the Haraz River are explained to be included in Amol urban development plans.
Highlights
This research analyzes the damages and destruction caused by urban development and human interventions in altering the structure of natural ecosystems of urban rivers.
This research emphasizes the necessity of forming an "ecological resilience" perspective in urban design and urban development programs and presents the related components.
The results of the research are derived from the integration of components affecting the ecological characteristics of rivers and the components of ecological resilience.
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Moghadas Niaki, F. and Haeri, S. (2025). Developing a Theoretical model for Urban Landscape restoration of the Haraz River with an Ecological Resilience approach. Iranian Urban Design Studies, 1(2), 269-298. doi: 10.22099/iuds.2025.52247.1025
MLA
Moghadas Niaki, F. , and Haeri, S. . "Developing a Theoretical model for Urban Landscape restoration of the Haraz River with an Ecological Resilience approach", Iranian Urban Design Studies, 1, 2, 2025, 269-298. doi: 10.22099/iuds.2025.52247.1025
HARVARD
Moghadas Niaki, F., Haeri, S. (2025). 'Developing a Theoretical model for Urban Landscape restoration of the Haraz River with an Ecological Resilience approach', Iranian Urban Design Studies, 1(2), pp. 269-298. doi: 10.22099/iuds.2025.52247.1025
CHICAGO
F. Moghadas Niaki and S. Haeri, "Developing a Theoretical model for Urban Landscape restoration of the Haraz River with an Ecological Resilience approach," Iranian Urban Design Studies, 1 2 (2025): 269-298, doi: 10.22099/iuds.2025.52247.1025
VANCOUVER
Moghadas Niaki, F., Haeri, S. Developing a Theoretical model for Urban Landscape restoration of the Haraz River with an Ecological Resilience approach. Iranian Urban Design Studies, 2025; 1(2): 269-298. doi: 10.22099/iuds.2025.52247.1025