Total area of forest in Turkey is 21.2 Million hectares, 2 Million hectares of which is afforested artificially. 91% of Turkish forests are natural forests which is a unique richness due to Turkey’s location in 3 different phyto-geographic zones. There are over 12.000 plant species mostly found in forest ecosystems and 40% of them are endemic.

Advocacy

TEMA Foundation has been monitoring and working hard to influence the legislation processes regarding forests in Turkey as a principle mission. Land use change in forest lands have been in the agenda for last ten years. There are two important legislation processes proposing the privatization of the forest lands which will lead a severe deforestation in Turkey generically known as ‘2B and 2A Laws’. TEMA Foundation has been stating its concerns and presents its proposals regarding the process through interviews with the parliamentarians, participating in the parliamentary environment commission, media visibilities and taking action through campaigns and public outreach.

Projects

THE KAÇKAR MOUNTAINS SUSTAINABLE FOREST USE AND CONSERVATION PROJECT

TEMA Foundation has implemented The Kaçkar Mountains Sustainable Forest Use and Conservation Project in cooperation with Nature Conservation Center and Middle East Technical University in Black Sea region of Anatolia by EU Funds in accordance with the principle of the conservation of natural forests. The target of the project, lasted about 5 years, is decelerating and reversing the process of loss of biodiversity and deterioration of forest ecosystem in the part of the Kaçkar Mountains specified as one of 34 areas in the world as Biodiversity Hotspots. The project components included conservation of biodiversity, sustainable forest use, guidance of local people to use forest sources in a sustainable manner, conservation and improvement of wildlife, and management of impact of tourism on forests. For further information: http://www.kackarlarsenin.org/

REFORESTATION