Deforestation Analysis in Northeastern Turkey

Researched causes, consequences, and solutions for deforestation in Turkey's Black Sea region, proposing an "Industrial Forest Project."

Research Question & Significance

The central research question addressed was: "To what extent can deforestation in Northeastern Turkey be reduced?"

This issue is critical due to the significant environmental and socio-economic impacts of forest loss in the region. For instance, the Altindere Valley, home to 384 plant taxons including 32 endemic and 9 rare species, is under threat. Between 1984 and 2007, the Rize province saw a net decrease of 2.30% in total forested areas, with productive forests shrinking by 12,506 hectares while degraded forest areas increased by 14,805 hectares.

Underlying Causes of Deforestation

The research identified several key drivers of deforestation in Northeastern Turkey:

Economic Factors: Excessive mining (e.g., 1012 mining licenses granted in six Eastern Black Sea provinces), construction of infrastructure (roads for tourism damaging protected areas like Altındere Valley National Park), and uncontrolled tourism growth aimed at short-term economic benefits (e.g., 3936.90 hectares of forest land allocated for tourism by 2001).
Social Factors: Increased urbanization due to rural-to-urban migration leading to higher demand for wooden products and irregular land use changes. Lack of environmental education contributing to unsustainable harvesting, overgrazing, and human-caused wildfires (a serious majority of wildfires are due to negligence).
Political Factors: Constitutional and legal arrangements that allow for the narrowing of "forest" definitions, and governmental decisions such as granting tree cutting permits for large-scale projects like the "Green Road Project" (16 decares permitted for cutting).

Major Consequences

Socio-economic: Displacement of local populations from ancestral homes due to deforestation and its effects.
Environmental: Increased flooding and landslides in deforested areas (e.g., 1,280,820.83 tons of landslides annually in the Eastern Black Sea region). Habitat loss threatening biodiversity. Soil degradation making land fragile and vulnerable. Contribution to CO2 emissions (estimated 10-15% of all anthropogenic CO2 emissions are linked to deforestation).

Proposed Solution: "K.O.A.Ş" Industrial Forest Project

As a comprehensive solution, the "K.O.A.Ş (Karadeniz Ormanlaştırma Anonim Şirketi)" social business project was proposed.

Aim: To protect natural forests by reducing production pressure on them, decrease dependency on foreign raw materials by meeting increasing needs, reduce the current account deficit, reduce carbon emissions and erosion, create new employment areas, and contribute to rural development.

Mission: To plant and create an industrial forest (initially 60 hectares with approximately 120,000 oak and hornbeam trees, or maritime pines) in the Rize province. This forest would supply raw materials for industries like paper and packaging, with harvesting and reforestation cycles planned over 15-17 years.

Implementation Stages:

Public Awareness: Utilizing media (TV, internet, print, billboards, product bills) and establishing partnerships with experts, schools, and local NGOs to educate the public on sustainable forest management and the importance of forests.
Industrial Forest Project:
- Acquiring land (e.g., in Rize, Fındıklı, Çağlayan village, an area previously affected by wildfire with high potential for reforestation).
- Planting a mixture of appropriate tree species (oak, hornbeam, or maritime pines) with optimal spacing ($3 \times 1$ meter gaps, ~3,300 trees/hectare).
- Involving local citizens in planting and cutting processes to provide income and ensure transparency.
- Implementing a 15-17 year growth cycle, followed by a 5-year harvesting period, and immediate replanting. Converting cutting waste into mulch to enrich the soil. The project cycle would repeat.
- Potential for hazelnut cultivation on parts of the land for supplementary income if more funds are needed.
Evaluation: Selling harvested wood as raw material and finished furniture. Reinvesting profits into forest expansion, worker incentives, and continuing educational programs. Comparing deforestation statistics before and after the project to measure efficiency.

This project aims to be a realistic, long-term, and measurable solution, addressing the root causes of deforestation like "lack of education" and contributing to Turkey's sustainable development goals (SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 15: Life on Land).

Presentation Slides

A visual overview of the research and proposed solutions is available in the presentation slides embedded below.

Full Research Paper