The panel titled "Problems and Solution Suggestions Encountered in Kastamonu Forest Products Industry" hosted by our University, which specializes in Forestry and Nature Tourism, was held on February 27, 2024 at Cemil Meriç Hall of the Central Library of our University.
Governor Meftun Dallı, Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Ömer Küçük and Prof. Dr. Kasım Yenigün, academicians, students and representatives of public institutions and organizations attended the panel.
In the panel moderated by Prof. Dr. Saim Ateş, Regional Director of Forestry Fahri Sönmezoğlu, Chairman of Kastamonu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Oğuz Fındıkoğlu, Kastamonu Entegre Wood Industry and Trade Inc. Factory Director Enüs Koç, Kronospan Forest Products Industry Tic. A.Ş Raw Material Supply Manager Ali Şahin, Kastamonu Chamber of Woodworking Manufacturers and Sellers President Hakan Küçükoğlu participated as speakers.
In the opening speech of the program, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry Prof. Dr. Erol Akkuzu said that Kastamonu has 8% of the forest assets of our country and stated that the forest industry has become the locomotive sector of the city economy with a sectoral density of up to 40% in the general industry and a sectoral turnover of up to 35%. Stating that the forest industry in Kastamonu, which produces a wide variety of products such as MDF, particleboard, parquet, plywood, timber, doors, bathroom-kitchen furniture, provides employment for 7000 people, Prof. Dr. Akkuzu underlined that small and medium-sized family businesses contribute to the regional economy with wood craftsmanship knowledge and experience passed down from generation to generation. Dean Prof. Dr. Akkuzu concluded his speech by saying, "I wish that the outputs of our panel, where the problems and solution suggestions for the forest industry will be discussed, will be instrumental in solving the existing problems, increasing the contribution of the sector to the national and local economy and leading to various collaborations in this field."
Our Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Hamdi Topal, who took the floor after Dean of the Faculty of Forestry Prof. Dr. Akkuzu, stated that Kastamonu has a very important place in Turkey's forestry and expressed that the presence of forests provides advantages for the sector. Stating that small, medium and large enterprises have an important place in both domestic and foreign markets with their experienced teams specialized in their fields, our Rector stated that new investments should be made in the wood sector in Kastamonu and qualified personnel should be trained. Our Rector also underlined that in order for Kastamonu's success in the field of wood and forest products to be sustainable, it is necessary to grow forests suitable for timber that can meet the needs of the sector in larger areas and to evaluate the current and future projections, especially the afforestation of suitable areas in a short time, taking into account the effects of sustainability and climate change, within a planning, both the sector and the forests should continue to exist in a healthy way.
After our Rector, the first speech in the panel was delivered by Ali Şahin, Raw Material Supply Directorate of Kronospan Forest Products Industry . Inc. In his speech, Şahin underlined that when we look at the areas of use of these 25,000,000 cubic meters of wood produced by the General Directorate of Forestry, the main sectors such as particleboard, pallet, furniture, plywood sector and their sub-sectors are on the rise. Emphasizing that the forest sector is worth over one billion dollars to the country, Şahin stated that the demand for wooden bungalow houses has increased due to the pandemic and the earthquake. Stating that it brings mobility in the recycling sectors according to the renewed demands, Şahin underlined that they are working to employ the necessary personnel to meet the needs of these sectors.
Taking the floor after Şahin, Kastamonu Entegre Wood Industry and Trade Inc. Factory Director Enüs Koç drew attention to the developments in the forestry sector in Kastamonu. In his speech, Koç said the following about the problems in the sector: "Our demand for increasing the yield and production in the existing forests in accordance with the production forestry technique in the existing forests is to carry out a special study for species such as red pine alder, pole, pumpkin. Again, we demand from the sector that OGM continue its current work under the title of industrial plan plantations. We also want a special incentive mechanism to be developed especially for large enterprises in both public and privately owned areas. We want genetic, breeding and tissue culture production to be encouraged for species such as acacia in arid areas. We demand that certification practices such as F, SC, FC be made widespread in order to achieve full harmonization with the European Union and the World Trade Organization."
Taking the floor after Director Koç, Regional Director of Forestry Fahri Sönmezoğlu said that Kastamonu Regional Directorate of Forestry has 170,000 hectares of young forests and underlined that the maintenance of young forests obtained through afforestation and natural rejuvenation in the last 25-30 years is an important need in forestry. In his speech, Sönmezoğlu also stated that the main problem in the maintenance of forests is the labor problem and said the following: "While 20-25 years ago, dozens of people came to our door every day with requests that they wanted to cut in the forest, now these requests have been completely minimized and we have great difficulty in finding people to cut. Even if we do, people no longer do all kinds of work as they used to." and expressed the problems experienced in the existing forest maintenance. In his speech, Sönmezoğlu underlined that the laws for the protection of forests should be reorganized according to today's needs and that training programs for forest workers should be carried out.
Taking the floor after Sönmezoğlu, Hakan Küçükoğlu, President of Kastamonu Chamber of Woodworking Manufacturers and Sellers, stated that there are nearly 150 manufacturers and 47 of them are related to carpentry works, 45 enterprises are related to furniture production and nearly 40 small-scale enterprises are related to timber and stated that there is a general problem of qualified personnel in these enterprises. In his speech, Küçükoğlu said, "We need to train conscious and ethical staff. How can we turn our individual service organizations into automation? Step by step, we want these supports from our university and integrated facilities. In our growing enterprises, we have a deficit of intermediate staff. For example, when we set up a CNC machine, there is a great need for qualified personnel to work here." Küçükoğlu also said that the population that migrated can be returned with reverse migration, infrastructure facilities and investments in social life for current employment, and emphasized that the problem of how to reach qualified personnel should be solved with the cooperation of the sector academy bureaucracy.
Oğuz Fındıklıoğlu, President of Kastamonu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who took the floor as the last speaker of the panel after Küçükoğlu, said that he wanted to meet the personnel needs of the forestry sector by providing training to high school students within the framework of cooperation with the Ministry of National Education. Stating that students who receive forestry education are easily employed, Fındıkoğlu underlined that there may be defeats and failures as well as success in business life, but this should not negatively affect the employees.
After the speeches, the panel continued with a question and answer session. At the end of the panel, plaques were presented to the participants who participated as speakers. The panel ended after the collective photo shoot.
