BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN TURKEY

Suade Arancli
General Directorate of National Parks and Game-Wildlife
Ministry of Forestry,
06560 Gazi, Ankara, Turkey
Tel: 0090 312-212 9265
Fax: 0090 312-222 5140
E-mail: pkd@milliparklar.gov.tr

[Based on "Biodiversity and Natural Resource
Management Project" funded by GEF]

INTRODUCTION

Turkey is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the temperate zone. More than one third of species found in Turkey are endemic, native to the region.

Its diverse habitat types, ranging from coastal to Alpine, contribute to the rich biological diversity of the country. The biodiversity resources include a number of agricultural species, their wild variants, commercially important forest species, medicinal and aromatic plants, animal species and migratory birds, to mention a few.

The Mediterranean ecosystem is species rich and contains a number of endangered endemic floral species. In the Eastern Mediterranean, especially in Turkey, the conservation situation is somewhat better due to strict forest management activities. Lack of full-scale survey on endangered forest ecosystems in the area, however, makes exact estimation difficult. Examples of endemic conifers in the Mediterranean basin are some firs, cypresses and pines (e.g. Abies pinsapo, Abies marocana, Cupressus atlantina and Pinus nigra subsp. Dalamatica) and examples of endemic dediduous speciessome oaks (Quercus euboica, Quercus vulcanica, Quercus aucheri) as well as Liquidambar orientalis in Turkey (e.g. Quezel 1998, Barbero et al. 1990, Akman et al.1993).

The responsibility for conservation and management of forests rests entirely within the State and belongs to the Ministry of Forestry (MoF) in Turkey. One quarter of Turkey's land area is classified as forestland. One of the main tasks of the MoF, in addition to sustainable management of forests, erosion control, re/afforestation, and rural development of forest villagers, is to conserve the nature and manage the wildlife and hunting. The General Directorate of National Parks and Game Wildlife (GDNP), within the MoF, is responsible for establishing and managing the majority of Turkey's various categories of protected areas and has a nationwide network of field based staff. It also implements ex-situ programs for wild fauna. Protected areas under the direction of GDNP are 2.6 percent of the forestla