Abstract: Assessing the ecological and land use planning for regulating the relationship between man, land and human activities in order to improve the material and intellectual conditions of community at the present time will prevent waste of natural resources and the environment as well as human poverty via introduction of the best natural land use based on the quality and quantity of the land and available socio economic needs. Therefore, this descriptive - analytical study has attempted to investigate the ecological capability evaluation of Mashhad for future development of the city with an emphasis on practical dimension by use of GIS and AHP methods. In this way for assessing ecological data several layers were generated such as: “distance from agriculture lands, gradient layer, the layer altitude, distance from the river, distance from green spaces and recreational space layer and layer fault”. Finally, in order to model each criterion based on its value and importance for the physical development of the city is dedicated the appropriate weight to each of data layers based on the defined matrix in “Expert Choice” software. According to the results of the weighted combination of layers based on the importance of each layer in urban development, lands in the study area prioritized with emphasis on the natural factors then compared with land-use map. It founds that high ecological capability lands have been located far from faults, rivers and in the proper height and slope. Therefor are offered for the future physical development of the city.

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