Management of Natural Resources Based on Contemporary Principles: The Future of Turkish Forestry and the Need for Change in Turkish State Forestry

0646-C1

Önder Barlı^[1] and Kamil Yazıcı

Abstract

Mismanagement of natural resources exacerbates the already deteriorating environmental problems. Establishment of the optimum resource management requires the application of contemporary strategies and management criteria to ascertain sustainability, public participation and ecological integrity.

This paper evaluates recent developments in the management of forest resources and focuses on strategies related to participation, sustainability and privatization tools to verify whether forest practices are achieving the desired ends of long-term health for both forest ecosystems and forest-dependent communities. The research was conducted in 14 regional forest directorates and with 186 selected managers in Turkey. The attitudes of the managers with respect to the judgments connected with strategy concept and some strategic scenarios were investigated. Finally, some suggestions were made based on the study results, concerning management objectives and priorities of Turkish forestry.

Introduction

Today all over the world, many environmental problems are increasingly seen. And, the impact of environmental damage is felt at the local, national and global level. Besides, More recently, ecologists have predicted that between one-third and two-thirds of all species might go extinct in the next century, if the current trends in land use and resource extraction continue. Such a tremendous loss of biological wealth undermines the concept of sustainability and threatens any human economy based on natural resources (Pinchot 2000, Paris 2000).

It is generally accepted that MNR causes the mentioned problems. But, does not MNR relate to general management style in a country? It can be observed in any part of the world that a fundamental relationship exists between MNR and general management style and/or distance to democracy. Moreover, it is known that many underdeveloped and developing countries do not have enough democracy. Unfortunately, it is confessed that developed countries have not been honest in the process of democracy in those countries. Indeed, sometimes the developed countries have exhibited double standards about both democratization process and the use of the natural resources in many countries.

Furthermore, There are some conflicts between state and people in many parts of the developing world, and the dominant view has been that local people are causing natural resource degradation in these countries (Sekhar 2000). So what are the solution methods? Recently, a lot of scientists have asserted some suggestions. The new approaches advocate decentralization of natural resource management and today people-centred approaches supersede state-centred management approaches in many parts of the world (Ellefson 2000, Ascher 2000).

Recently, it has been quite appealing that these social and environmental concepts have been increasingly argued in some organizations and papers frequently. In these organizations, governments and scientists committed themselves to discussing and formulating some national/international strategies for global environmental damage, public participation and sustainable development etc., (Nabuurs, Paivinen and Schanz 2001).

Therefore, it is observed that some countries have struggled to develop their own strategies, which include different formations related to sustainability, public participation and ecological integrity. To name a few: Establishing a council for sustainable development in The Philippines (Johnson 1999), local family forests applications in the United States (Barten et al 2001), the implications of some changes for natural resources and environmental management in Southeast Asia (Pas-ong and Lebel 2000), Public programs in the Baltic (Einar and Owe 2001) and the example of the share-holding integrated forestry tenure system in China (Song, Burch, Geballe and Geng 1997) can be mentioned as some examples. These changes have improved sustainability, productivity, equity and flexibility in the face of changes caused by biophysical and human intervention, and encouraged a more democratic rural life and more power of independent decision-making (Song, Burch, Geballe and Geng 1997, Ribot 2000).

In this respect, this article considers recent developments and focuses on some strategies related to participatory, sustainability and privatization tools for verifying that forest practices achieve the desired ends for both forest ecosystems and forest-dependent communities. As a result, based on the views and priorities of the managers, several suggestions were made concerning the forest management in Turkey.

Methodology Used In Surveying The Investigation

Data Collection

This study was conducted using a quantitative research methodology and analysis. The data were collected on the following 3 main topics by a questionnaire (Barlý and Türker 2001).

1. Demographic characteristics of the managers
2. Objectives of the organization
3. Attitudes and perceptions of the managers

Statistics

Generally, descriptive statistics were computed to examine some attitudes, perceptions, opinions and several demographic variables. Also, Spearman correlation coefficients were computed to investigate whether there were relations among some variables (STATISTICA 1984-2002).

Sample Design

The selection of samples for the research was carried out in two phases. First, 14 of the 27 regional forest directorates scattered across the country were selected for the quantitative method (Seen in Figure 1). In total, there were 300 managers in 141 regional forest districts operating under the regional forest directorates. The managers consisted of regional forest directors and their deputies, and district directors and their deputies. Second, the research instrument was distributed to the 300 managers within the 14 forest districts. Usable responses were received from 186 respondents, giving a response rate of 62 per cent.

Figure 1. Forest Regional Directorates in Turkey selected for the research.

Results And Discussion

Demographic Characteristics

As demographic features, education, experience, promotion etc. were measured. As seen in Table 1, nearly all of the managers were male and their ages clustered in young and middle age groups. All managers are a graduate of a university and about 10 percent of them have masters degree. Their experience is over 5 years and many of them have 11-20 year experience. Finally, appointment is being used more than advancement as promotion method in the organization.

Table 1. Demographic characteristics

Objectives

Table 2 shows a different set of objectives of the organization collected from respondents. It indicates that the majority of respondents, strongly or partly agreed that some objectives such as continuity, assuring wood and non-wood products, recruitment, and profit are more important than others.

Table 2. The managers’ opinions about some objectives of the organization

Moreover, the priorities of the objectives for managers were inquired. When asked of priority of the objectives, managers would list some objectives in a sequence of decreasing importance such as recruitment, profit and support to politic and economic aims of the government.

Therefore, it can be seen that unfortunately sustainability, participation and privatization shared as contemporary criteria by everybody do not have a priority in both basic purposes of the Turkish state forestry organization and in the priorities of the managers.

The Attitudes And Perceptions For Some Judgments Related To The Strategies

Table 3 shows some judgments connected to strategies and policies; attitudes and perceptions related to the judgments collected from managers.

Table 3. The managers’ attitudes and perceptions for several judgments

As seen in Table 3 and Figure 2; in the first judgment, a part of the managers did not believe that the Turkish forestry organization determines own strategies and policies scientifically. But it can be said that some of them are totally against this. At the same time, nearly all managers said that the strategies and policies of the organization have been influenced by political interventions.

As seen the third judgment, many managers do not have a desire that the current status of the organization be continued. The table indicates that the majority of respondents strongly and partly agreed with the judgment that the Turkish forestry organization should have autonomous management in the same organization body. Almost the overall responses for the judgment fifth indicate that all of the respondents agreed that the organization should be reorganized and adapt a contemporary organization style to its classic body.

Figure 2. Schematic representation of the managers’ attitudes and perceptions

In Table 3, the rest of the judgments related to privatization and participation is presented. The responses for the judgments 7 and 8 signify that most of the managers are not in favor of privatization and participation for the fear that plundering and insufficiency of the state forests will be inevitable in Turkey. On the other hand, some managers preferred merely few privatization models such as; privatization of only the forests area fragmented and socially under pressure and/or the possession of Turkish forests should remain with the state, but, operation of the forests should be transferred to legal village persons and cooperatives. However, majority of the managers have expressed negative views against other privatization models (seen Table 3 and Figure 2).

Correlations

The correlation coefficients and significance values are being displayed in Table 4. A low significance value indicates a relationship between Variable A, B, C and the other variables. But the low and medium values for the test statistics indicate that the relationships between variables A, B, C and the others are weak or medium.

These results for the variable A reflect some reasons perceived by managers as significant factors such as improving the social-economic state of the forest villagers, exhaustiveness and focusing on social, cultural and economic factors in the building process of objectives in configuration of a scientific forestry. In this situation, some managers would say that there are some defects related to the techniques, criteria and applications mentioned above and thus, they did not believe the application of scientific forestry in Turkey.

Also, these results for the variable B reveal some reasons perceived by managers as considerable factors for changing the present status of the organization. Some of them are exhaustiveness and planning, team building, daily decision process, etc. As seen Figure 2, lots of the managers have not wanted to continue the current status of the organization.

Table 4. The Spearman correlation coefficients and significance values between some variables

At the same time, there are some relations between Variable C and judgment 13. Because the significance level is very small, the correlation is significant and the two variables are linearly related. Although, there are low values for the test statistics, it can be said that the managers supporting a model of privatization and participation can support another models. This is an important clue for the next developments in Turkish forestry. And, it would be accepted that some managers are in search of some solution methods for the current Turkish forestry.

Finally, the low significance value indicates that there is a relationship between Variable C and judgment 14. The moderate relations between the two variables indicate that the important point that has been focused by managers against privatization is that if the Turkish forests are privatized, they will be insufficient qualitatively and quantitatively, and will not fulfill their own functions because they can be plundered.

Conclusions

Discussing forest resource is complex, expanding in extent, and increasing in national, local and global significance. At the same time, some new approaches have been developed and the new opinions in the natural resource management domain are gradually replacing the older views in many part of the world.

Recently, the governments and forest ministry have intended to develop a new forestry policy in Turkey. But, it can be seen that these interferences are insufficient for solving the problems of the Turkish forestry. Because these are not related with some mentioned contemporary principles shared in global scale.

Briefly, it can be seen from this research that almost all of the respondents do not have a desire to continue with the current status of Turkish forestry organization, and the organization should be reorganized and adapted to a contemporary organization style. But, there are a lot of problems related to development of some radical solution methods because of several reasons already mentioned.

The forestry organizations or its management methods of many countries are also changing and developing their competitive edges to allow them to react quickly to sudden changes. Thus, Turkish Forestry Organization must further develop and complement their key enablers with new initiatives in order to secure its long-term success.

In this respect, some suggestions would be submitted:

• Everybody and every country in global scale should truly support democracy, participation and sustainability that provide incentives for countries to restore and sustain natural resources, meet economic demands and save environment on their lands.

• In addition in global scale, developed countries can voluntarily transfer environmentally friendly technologies (especially these related with solar and wind energy) to the underdeveloped and developing countries to help decrease environmental degradation and climate change.

• Governments in Turkey should redefine the role of the state and configure new laws and strategies to foster decentralization and participation in forest management.

• Governments should impose forestry codes of conduct on privatization, public attitudes to forestry and nature, participation, etc., and some pilot applications related to mentioned concepts should be implemented in several regions of Turkey.

• Foresters and NGOs should place a high priority on radical transformation of Turkish forestry and solving the difficult political, social, cultural and economic problems that may appear in the process.

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