The opening of the "Dialogue Meeting on the Future of the Wood-Based Industry Sector in the Transition to Sustainable Bioeconomy" hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Forestry, UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was held on 21 September 2023 at the Central Library of our University.
The opening meeting of the 3-day workshop was attended by Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, Rector of our University Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Representative Florian Steine, FAO Turkey Representative Viorel Gutu, Kastamonu Governor Meftun Dallı, AK Party Kastamonu Deputies Halil Uluay and Serap Ekmekçi, Kastamonu Mayor Rahmi Galip Vidinlioğlu, United Nations and sector representatives and experts.
Bekir Karacabey, Director General of Forestry, was the first to take the floor in the opening speech of the event and started his speech by commemorating the forest workers who sacrificed their lives to prevent forest fires. Drawing attention to the impact of climate change on forests in his speech, Karacabey emphasised that Turkey is the European country that has increased its forest cover the most. Stating that the target is to plant 7 billion saplings in the soil, Karacabey concluded his speech as follows: "Especially today, when the effects of climate change are being felt more and more, it is becoming more and more evident that the products and services offered by the forest ecosystem are not only the sustainable management of wood raw material, but also the fact that forests are the source of clean air, clean and abundant water, the most important carbohydrate area, the most important regeneration area, the centre of biodiversity and wildlife".
“Sustainability is important in forest products”
Our Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, who took the floor after General Director of Forestry Karacabey, stated that Kastamonu University, which specialises in Nature Tourism and Forestry, is honoured to host an international event in the field of forestry. In addition, our Rector pointed out that it is important to use the diminishing resources sparingly due to the climate crisis and stated that sustainable policies should be followed in all areas of life. Stating that the production of non-wood forest commodities as well as wood production is becoming increasingly important in forest resources management, our Rector emphasised that it is important to evaluate the potential of industrial afforestations and fast-growing tree species that take into account the changing climatic conditions in order to meet the needs of the industry. In addition, our Rector underlined that cooperation is vital for the utilisation of opportunities for the application of circular bio-economy in wood-based industries.
Degraded land to be restored between 2020 and 2050
After the Rector, FAO Turkey Representative Viorel Gutu took the floor to make his opening speech and emphasised that forests are very important for the planets. Gutu also underlined that forests are an important element in reducing the devastating effects of climate change, protecting food systems and combating biodiversity loss. "Meanwhile, the restoration of degraded lands through afforestation efforts will remove up to 1.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year from the atmosphere between 2020 and 2050," Gutu concluded his speech.
Turkey is an important producer and consumer of a wide range of forest products in Europe"
Mr Florian Steine, Representative of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, took the floor after Mr Gutu and stated that Turkey has a key importance in the region in terms of forests and forest products and underlined that Turkey is an important producer and consumer of a wide range of forest products in Europe. In his speech, Mr Steine said that Turkey has faced many serious natural disasters over the years, with many lives lost and livelihoods destroyed, and emphasised that the occurrence of natural disasters cannot be completely prevented, but appropriate and sustainable management of wood and forest resources can help reduce the severity of floods and forest fires.
"Kastamonu is the richest province of our country in terms of forest assets"
Governor of Kastamonu Meftun Dallı, in his opening speech, said that the main constitutional duty is the protection and development of forest assets and stated that the forest products available in Kastamonu are of high quality. Stating that the products produced in Kastamonu are exported to Turkey and abroad, Governor Dallı pointed out that this success should be continuous.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, who took the floor after the Governor's speech, emphasised that approximately 25 percent of the world's population has to live dependent on forests for shelter, subsistence and food, and that approximately 40 percent of the world's population uses wood as fuel for heating and food. He stated that when the forest assets that provide the basic needs of human beings are well managed and sustainable, they can contribute to the environment and the world. Underlining that they carry out important activities to protect trees from pests, Yumaklı said, "Tree pests and diseases cause five times more damage to forest areas than fires. In other words, it is very important in terms of explaining the magnitude of the struggle. Therefore, the General Directorate of Forestry organisation, together with other units of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, fights against approximately 50 types of pests. Let us underline the biological struggle in this struggle. In approximately 54 production stations, 650 thousand beneficial organisms of 8 different species are produced and released into our forests."
After the speeches, the meeting continued with the protocol members and participants visiting the stands and planting trees.
Following the opening speeches, on the first day of the event, the morning session, Ministry Presentations, Forestry Activities within the Scope of Sustainable Forest Management, Private Sector Presentations, Göksel Korkmaz's "New Era in Forest Products: "EKSI(-)Carbon-" by Göksel Korkmaz and "Present and Future of Sustainable Wood Based Panel Sector in the Transition to Bioeconomy" by Haluk Yıldız.
The afternoon session started with Prof. Dr. Derya Eşen's presentation, followed by Prof. Dr. Yusuf Serengil's "Documentation and Future of Forest Management and Ecosystem Services in Turkey, Roadmap for Realising Climate Neutrality in Turkey: A Comprehensive Analysis of Long-Term Forestry Strategies". Afterwards, Ekrem Yazıcı, Vice President of FAO/UNECE Joint Committee, shared the EU Deforestation process and the Regulation on Non-Deforestation Products with the audience. Faculty member of our Faculty of Forestry, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bahadır Çağrı Bayram said "How can sustainability be applied in the forest products industry? Is circular economy a panacea for sustainable production?" and Prof. Dr. Hülya Kalaycıoğlu, "Sustainability of Wood Panel Industry in Turkey and Evaluation of Environmental Impact" presentation completed the session.
In the last session of the first day, FAO representative Sven Walter presented "Forest Based Bioeconomy and Global Forest Sector Outlook 2050" and UNECE/FAO representative Florian Steierer presented "Regional Forest Outlook Studies". Sven Walter, FAO" FAO's ACSFI and CPF Initiative "Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable World" (SW4SW) was the last presentation of the first day. On the second day of the meeting, public and private sector employees came together and worked in groups. In the group work, employees will transfer their knowledge and experiences to each other. On the last day of the workshop, the programme will end with a field visit of all participants to a private forest management company.
