Effects of Turkish forest management philosophy and applications on forest ecosystem structure and functions in Northeast Turkey: A case study in Saçinka Forest Management Planning Unit

Nowadays, Turkish forest management philosophy has changed from timber management to ecosystem-based multiple-use forest planning (EBMUFM) with the principles of “sustainable forest management” criteria and indicators drafted in a few national and international agreements. This study analyzed the temporal changes in forest ecosystem structure and a few forest values such as tree species, distribution of age class, development stage, canopy closure, species mixture, timber volume and increment, carbon storage and oxygen production in Saçinka Forest Planning Unit in the northeast corner of Turkey. To assess the patterns during a 21-year period (1985-2006), the necessary data were obtained from forest stand maps and evaluated with Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Results showed that the decrease of agricultural and settlement areas caused the increase of productive forests and the decrease of degraded forests. Bark beetles, which have common effect in Artvin, had less effect on the vitality of Saçinka Forest Planning Unit forests compared to the neighboring forest ecosystems. This forest ecosystem vitality and integrity level was a result of the mechanic and biological interventions against the beetle damages and appropriate silvicultural prescriptions

The evaluation of Artvin regional directorate of forestry in terms of criteria & indicators in sustainable forest management

Depending on increasing population and developing industry, the demand for natural sources has gained variations increasingly. Structural degeneration of forests, fragmentation of forests, formation of isolated areas, and decrease in biological diversity have guided the countries towards agreeing in a common point. After biological diversity agreement, the concept of sustainable forest management (SFM), which is defined in international process, appeared. SFM is monitoring the conditions of forest sources numerically by introducing new standards to the world forestry with six or seven criteria and over thirty contingent indicators. Our country, due to its geographical location, has been involved in Pan Europe and Near East processes and it has been following its forests with 6 criteria and 28 indicators which appeared in this processes. In the new process, Turkey aims to take place in the world scale by increasing the quality standards as a result of increasing certified forests and developing economy in all fields with 150 years of knowledge about forestry. In this paper, SFM criteria and indicators set in Turkey (C&I) is discussed and international processes and the concept of SFM have been summarized. Correspondingly, the status of Artvin Regional Forest Directorate was evaluated according to the current set of C&I on the bases of last five years. Sustainability of Artvin Regional Directorate of Forestry has been introduced with scoring system by accepting the whole country values as a threshold

Preparation of silvicultural plans in pinus sylvestris l. forests: case study of oltu planning unit

This study was carried out as part of the project 2016. F10.02.02 supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordinatorship of Artvin Coruh University (ACUBAP). Foremost, we thank (ACUBAP) for the support they provided. Also, we extend our thanks to the Anatolia Environment Forestry Mapping Inc. Company (ANCEO), the General Directorate of Forestry and the Faculty of Forestry of Artvin Coruh University for all the support and help they provided during the preparation of the silvicultural plan and the forest management plan and for the acquisition of the data.Forest resources in Turkey, according to the principles of ecosystem-based, multiple-use management approach, forest management chief/planning units are governed by forest management plans. Forest management planning process involves taking inventory, preparing the database with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), determining the forest management units and silvicultural treatments, and the preparation phase. After its completion begins the process of preparing silvicultural plans. First, in the regeneration areas, ecological conditions are evaluated and tree seeds are measured. Then regeneration methods are applied in this area and a detailed spatial and temporal planning is performed. Three different silvicultural plan tables are prepared by the forestry legislation. Beside the preparation of silvicultural plans, its enforcement has put an additional workload on forest management chief officers. Selected as a pilot region, the preparing of a silvicultural plan and monitoring its application with geographic database was undertaken at Oltu Forest Planning Unit. First of all, afforestation, regeneration and tending areas according to forest management plan were measured and evaluated. Then, the existing geographic database was updated to prepare the silvicultural plan. Then, in order to prepare and perform silvicultural prescriptions, spatial and temporal arrangements were added to the geodatabase. In the next step, the allowable cut was calculated. Finally, silvicultural treatments were applied at regeneration and tending areas, and illustrated with tables, graphs and maps. The paper is a case study for Oltu Forest Planning Unit, consisting mostly of Pinus sylvestris, while other tree species should be supported by a similar study in Turkey, particularly for mixed stands

Changes in carbon storage and oxygen production in forest timber biomass of Balci Forest Management Unit in Turkey between 1984 and 2006

Decrease in forest areas world wide and the damaging of its structures is hazardous to human health, hinders and dries up the spread of oxygen in the air and also destroys carbon storage. In recent years, global warming and changes in climates depending on the increase in the green house gases have been affecting the whole world. The solution seeking, initiated in the international arena with various treaties and processes, has shown itself around the world and in our country as the concept of planning and operation of the forest sources. During the recent ten years in Turkey, in forest management plans, the capacity of carbon storage and the amount of oxygen production by the forest were initiated to be calculated in the planning unit scale. The first forest management plans were prepared and put into force in 1972 in Turkey, where the planned forestry began in 1963. During the period of more than 30 years, neither the structural changes in forests nor their values regarding other functions have been examined enough. In this article, using Balcı Forest Management Units in Borçka Township of Artvin, forests are studied regarding their growing stocks, timber increments, their capacities of carbon storage and oxygen production. The basic management unit scale in the study is standard and the evident standard parameters are tree species, mixture and age class. Balcı Management Unit underwent attacks from bark beetles in the past. After the mechanical struggle, there have been structural changes in forest ecosystem and the potentials of forests have varied both in quality and quantity. Changes in forest ecosystems during that time, not only through natural ways but also through human activities, have been shaping the oncoming forestry practices

Spatial distribution and temporal change of old-growth forest: A case study in the Balci forest management unit, Turkey

Old-growth forests are considered as one of the important conservation targets in sustainable management of forest ecosystems. Stand parameters such as age, diameter at breast height, area, species mixture, canopy closure and snag volume per hectare are employed in estimating the value of the old-growth forests. This article is focused on the main stand parameters in determining potential old-growth forest stands by considering survival rate against 40-year of timber management philosophy in Turkey. The changes in the old growth forest stands between 1984 and 2006 were studied in the Balci Forest Planning Unit in Artvin, Turkey. The study showed that the decrease on the old-growth forest area was mainly attributed to the bark beetles. The Caucasian spruce dominated old growth forest stands were the most effected areas by this insect devastation. These stands left their places to the young oriental beech dominated stands. From the social point of view, “the extinct is not only a tree species or the forest ecosystem produced by it but also the cultural values and history in the region.

Spatial distribution and temporal change of increment and volume: a case study in balci forest management units

Geçmişte olduğu gibi günümüzde de ormanın en önemli ekonomik değerini odun üretimi oluşturmaktadır. 1963 yılında planlı ormancılığa geçilen ülkemizde odun üretimi eksenli ilk orman amenajman planları 1972 yılında hazırlanarak yürürlüğe girmiş ve günümüze kadar uygulanmıştır. Son 10 yıllık dönemde ise Çok Amaçlı Planlama (ÇAP) anlayışını benimseyen Türkiye, ormancılık altyapısını ve uygulama planlarını yeni planlama felsefesine göre hazırlamaktadır. Ancak, 30 yılı aşkın süreçte odun üretimi eksenli planlanan orman alanlarının ağaç serveti ve artımı açısından zaman içindeki yapısal değişimi ve bu açıdan plan uygulamalarının başarısı yeterince irdelenmemiştir. Bu çalışmada; Artvin ili Borçka ilcesine bağlı Balcı Planlama Birimi ormanlarının, geçmiş ve bugüne yönelik iki plan dönemi (20 yıl) itibariyle, ağaç serveti ve hacim artımı açısından zamansal değişimi Coğrafi Bilgi Sistemleri (CBS) yardımıyla analiz edilmiştir. Değerlendirmede ölçek meşcere olup, öne çıkan meşcere parametreleri ağaç türü, karışım, yaş sınıfı, gelişme çağları ve kapalılıktır. Balcı planlama biriminin geçmiş dönemde kabuk böcekleri tarafından istila edildiği ve buna bağlı olarak da silvikültürel uygulamaların yapıldığı ve yapısal anlamda değişikliğe uğradığı tespit edilmiştir. Sunulan ekonomik değerin kaynak potansiyeli değişmiş, tüm ormancılık faaliyetleri de bu değişimden etkilenmiştir. İnsanların doğaya yönelimleri ve ihtiyaçları zaman içinde şekil değiştirse de ormana ve orman ürünlerine olan gereksinim dünya var oldukça artarak devam edecektir.Historically, wood has been the most important forest value. Forest management plans were firstly prepared and implemented in Turkey between 1963 and 1973. All forests in Turkey have been managed with timber oriented forest management philosophy; Nowadays, Turkish forest management philosophy has changed from timber management to ecosystem-based multiple-use forest planning. Thus, Turkish forestry is underway in a re-structuring process. This paper presents evolution of the traditional forest management philosophy in Turkey since 1963. During the period of more than 30 years, neither the structural changes in forests nor their values regarding other functions have been examined enough. In this article, in Balcı Forest Management Units in Borçka township of Artvin are studied regarding their growing stocks and timber increments. Past two decade planning periods (managed under timber management approach) was compared with current case study data used for forest multiple use management approach based on ecosystem in terms of change of volume and increment. The basic management unit scale in the study is stand and the evident stand parameters are tree species, mixture and age class. Balcı management unit underwent the attacks from bark beetles in the past. After the mechanical struggle, it has been seen that there has become a structural change in forest ecosystem and the potentials of forests have varied with regard to the quality and quantity. Changes of forest ecosystems in forest areas during the time by not only natural ways but also human effects have been shaping the oncoming forestry practices, moreover the effects of each practice concern every human being

Evaluation according to criteria and ındicators of sustainable forest management: Saçinka Forest Planning Unit

Orman alanlarının azalması, yapısal bozulmalar, parçalı yapıların oluşması, su kaynaklarının azalması, çevre kirliliği, havadaki karbon miktarının artması gibi nedenler küresel ısınma/küresel iklim değişikliği gibi sorunların ana nedenleri olarak görülmektedir. Dünya ülkeleri 20. yüzyılın ortalarından bu yana bu sorunlara ortak çözümler geliştirmeye çalışmaktadırlar. Biyolojik Çeşitlilik sözleşmesi ve sonrasında oluşturulan süreçlerin bir çıktısı olan sürdürülebilir orman yönetimi ölçüt ve göstergeleri Pan-Avrupa Süreci göstergeleri baz alınarak ülkemizde de belirlenmiştir. Oluşturulan ölçüt gösterge setine göre Orman İşletme Müdürlükleri ölçeğinde veriler toplanmakta, Orman Bölge Müdürlüklerinde yapılan katılımcı toplantılarla gelinen nokta değerlendirilmektedir. Değerlendirmeye esas verilerin büyük bir kısmı orman işletme şefliği ölçeğinde orman amenajman planlarından elde edilirken, birçok ekonomik gösterge ise orman işletme müdürlüğü ölçeğinde ele alınmaktadır. Buradan yola çıkılarak hazırlanan bu çalışmada; Artvin Orman İşletme Müdürlüğü’ne bağlı Saçinka Orman İşletme Şefliği’nin (OİŞ) SOY Ölçüt ve Gösterge seti(Ö&G) seti verileri ilgili birimlerden elde edilerek veri kaynakları ve veri kaliteleri incelenmiş, sonuçta; orman ekosisteminin sürdürülebilir şekilde yönetilip yönetilmediği irdelenmiştir.The reasons such as; decrease in forest areas, deterioration in the structure, fragmented structures, decrease in water sources, environmental pollution and increase in carbon level in air are considered as the main sources of problems like global warming and global climate change. Countries have been trying to develop cooperative solutions for these problems since the mid-20th century. Sustainable forest management criteria and indicators, which were outcomes of Biological Diversity Agreement and the processes afterwards, have also been specified in Turkey based on Pan-European process indicators. According to this set of criteria and indicators, data are collected in the scale of Forest Enterprises and the current situation is evaluated in the meetings held by Regional Directorates of Forestry. Most of the data to be evaluated are obtained from forest management plans in the scale of Forest Planning Units and a great deal of economic indicators are dealt in the scale of Forestry Enterprises. Starting from this point of view; this study analyzes the SFM criteria and indicators set data of Saçinka Forest Planning Unit. Accordingly, it examines whether forest ecosystem is conducted in a sustainable way or not