The Analysis of Problems in the Certification Application in State Forestry Administration in Turkey

The use of natural sources and increase in environmental damage around the world have come to a state in which it threatens the existence and functionality of forest resources as well as other natural resources’. The idea that economic development can only be achieved through the mentality of sustainable forest management supported by community involvement has ensured the improvement in certification systems of forestry and forest product. Therefore, in this study, the opinions of directors of state forestry administration in Turkey concerning the difficulties encountered or hardships which are possible to encounter in forestry and forest products certification are addressed. In this context, a questionnaire based on the face-to-face interview method has been carried out on 147 participants in manager position in 71 different State Forestry Management. While 11 of the forestry managements, on which the questionnaire is conducted, have FSC forest management certificates, 60 are non-certified businesses. At the end of this study, that bureaucratic procedures will increase within the management and that malfunctions will be experienced with respect to the operation, low level of certification awareness in Turkey, the inadequacy of collaboration between stakeholders and the incomplete forest cadastre all are determined as major obstacles to the certification. On the other hand, it has been detected that there are noteworthy differences in opinions between employees in certified companies and workers in non-certified businesses in respect to worker’s health and safety, and stakeholder collaboration. In addition, it is conducted that there are significant differences between the working hours of participants and the participants’ opinions concerning the problems encountered in the forest products certification.

Keywords:

Forest management, Forestry and forest products Certification, state forestry administration,

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