Browsing by Author "Şen G."

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Analysis of land use/land cover changes following population movements and agricultural activities: A case study in northern Turkey
(2018-01-01) Şen G.; Güngör E.
This study analyzes the changes in spatial and temporal patterns of land use/cover from 1999 to 2014 in the city of Kastamonu, which is located at the center of the western Black Sea Region of Turkey. In this study, Kastamonu constitutes the study area, which is 65% covered with forests. Remote sensing, geographical information systems, and economic and demographic variables have been used for the analysis. The results showed that 0.2% of forested areas have been converted to settlement areas, and 8.5% have been converted to agricultural lands during this period. On the other hand, 12.5% of settlement areas and 30.4% of agricultural lands were transformed into forested area in the same period. A net increase of 15.1% (108768.2 ha) happened in forest areas between 1999 and 2014. The annual percentage of forestation for forest areas within the study period was 0.94% in Kastamonu. In Kastamonu, the most important factor in the increase of forested areas is demographic movement, which decreased agriculture and animal husbandry due to declining populations in rural areas between 1999–2017. The abandoned agricultural areas have turned into forest areas. Grazing pressure on forests has decreased with the decrease in animal husbandry. This has been effective in structural improvements and spatial increase of forest areas. However, the development of substitute products in wood, widespread use of solar energy systems in rural areas, and the construction of more insulated buildings are other factors that are effective in increasing forest areas.
Defining the effects of urban expansion on land use/cover change: a case study in Kastamonu, Turkey
(2018-08-01) Şen G.; Güngör E.; Şevik H.
In addition to the growing world population, continuous migration from rural areas to city centers leads to rapid population growth in urban centers, bringing with it a change in land use/cover in those areas. This change usually manifests itself as an increase in artificial surfaces and a decrease in agricultural areas and forestlands. However, agricultural areas and forests in the vicinity of city centers contain sensitive ecosystems that require careful monitoring. It is crucial that the impact of population growth in the city centers on these areas is determined. This study aims to determine the changes in the land cover in Kastamonu city center between 1999 and 2014. As part of the study, changes in the population of the city center, as well as in the use of urban spaces within the past 15 years, were investigated to determine how population growth affected land use/cover. Changes in land use/cover were assessed under 12 classes with the use of remote sensing methods on stand-type maps created by the aerial photos. According to the results of the study, a 519.5-ha agricultural area and a 86-ha forest area became artificial surfaces in 1999 and 2014.
Local Perceptions of Forest Certification in State-Based Forest Enterprises
(2019-03-15) Şen G.; Güngör E.
Forest management certification plays a supportive role in the realization of wood production by evaluating social, economic and ecological objectives. This study analyzed the changes in the perceptions, views and expectations with respect to forest management certification held by those who live on forest land in Turkey, known as forest peasants, according to their education level, age and their engagement in forestry activities. The study was conducted at the Kastamonu Regional Directorate of Forestry located in northwestern Turkey. Data were collected using face-to-face survey with 407 forest peasants who randomly selected. In addition to the descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to analyze whether there were any significant differences among the views depending on the locals’ education level, age and their engagement in forestry activities. The results showed that forest peasants generally knew what certification was. The forest peasants stated that certification has benefits for occupational health and safety. However, they also stated that there had not been any significant increase in forestry worker wages or the price of forest products, that there had not been any noticeable difference in the forest administration’s forestry activities, and that the principles of participatory forest management had not been applied efficiently and effectively following certification.
Perceptions and expectations on forest management certification of foresters in state forest enterprises: A case study in Turkey
(2018-01-01) Şen G.; Genç A.
Determination of the perception of employees in the forestry organization involved in forest management certification (FMC) in state forests is considered important in increasing the success level of this process. In this study, some questions were asked to evaluate the opinions of the forest management directorate employees [forest engineers (FE), rangers (R), and forest workers (FW)] about the forest management certificate and to know the expectations about certification. Data has been collected by conducting face-to-face interviews with 51 FEs, 56 Rs, and 80 FWs. This data collection was done at the certified forest enterprise of the Kastamonu Regional Directorate of Forestry, which has been selected as the work area. The research methods included descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, and correspondence analysis for hypothesis testing. When a statistical significance (p = 0.05) was found, the intergroup differences were analyzed using a post hoc test. Our results showed differences in the perceptions of foresters, with 90% of FEs, Rs, and FWs stating that the certification process contributes positively to forest management. Moreover, 35.8% of the foresters stated that FMC encouraged selection of the most suitable forest management, 34.5% stated that FMC ensured forest management according to sustainable forest management (SFM) criteria and in compliance with international agreements, and 30.1% stated that FMC contributed to the conservation and survival of forest areas.