Turkey is successfully implementing various forestry practices to protect and expand its forested areas. as of 2022, it is reported that a total of 1 billion 692 million 661 thousand Turkish Liras has been invested in 738 thousand hectares for these efforts. These efforts play an important role in protecting and increasing forest assets and ensure the sustainability of forest ecosystems by positively affecting the age components and annual increment of trees.
Investments and maintenance efforts not only contribute to the physical growth of forests, but also improve their ecosystem health. The productivity and biodiversity of forests largely depends on the age and health of the trees. from 28 million cubic meters in 1973, the annual increment has increased to approximately 51 million cubic meters in 2022. This increase shows that the right forestry strategies and planned efforts have yielded effective results.
Fires are one of the leading threats to the health of forests. in 2022, 3,797 fires occurred in Turkey and 27,485 hectares of forest area was damaged in these fires. The physical measures taken by the General Directorate of Forestry in this context have an important place in the fight against fires. Rapid response to fires and developing effective control strategies play an important role in minimizing the damages caused by forest fires.
Not only physical measures but also social awareness is of great importance in the fight against forest fires. The fact that most of the fires are human-caused reveals that the society should be more sensitive and conscious about forest fires. In this context, public education campaigns and awareness-raising activities are of vital importance.
The maintenance, rejuvenation and rehabilitation works carried out by the General Directorate of Forestry within the scope of sustainable forest management enable forests to grow in a healthy manner by preserving their natural balance. in 2022, maintenance works carried out on 657 thousand 922 hectares have an important place in this target. 5 thousand 94 hectares of this maintenance includes pruning work, which contributes to the protection of forest ecosystems by making trees healthier and more durable.
In conclusion, forestry activities in Turkey aim to ensure the sustainable growth and development of forest areas. Investments and practices are of great importance in the protection and expansion of forest cover and have a positive impact on the health of ecosystems. In this context, measures taken against forest fires and raising public awareness are also of great priority. The continuity of these efforts is critical for protecting and increasing Turkey's forest wealth.
