Pursuing Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Land and Forest Management in Türki̇ye
Ufuk Demirci, İdris Durusoy, Atakan Öztürk, Bekir KayacanSince its formal adoption as a global concept at the Rio Summit in 1992, sustainable development has been guiding sectoral policies. Forests and other terrestrial ecosystems play a crucial role in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly SDG15, which focuses on “Life on Land”. This study explores the current situation and performance of Türkiye by examining the studies conducted in the field of sustainable land and forest management and provides recommendations for improving Türkiye’s position in the Sustainable Development Goals Index. We first analyzed and discussed Sustainable Development Reports, National Development Plans, Strategic Plans, and key policy documents, including Voluntary National Review Reports. This allowed us to assess the current position and progress of Türkiye in the world ranking. Important developments and areas for improvement in the targets and indicators of SDG were detailed. Due to increasing population, urbanization, and industrialization, forest areas are under pressure. In Türkiye, the total forest area increased from 20.7 million hectares to 23.1 million hectares in the last two decades, thanks to the reforestation of abandoned arable lands and afforestation activities. Moreover, erosion control and pasture improvement activities have enabled Türkiye to achieve success in combating desertification and land degradation. Notwithstanding this considerable progress, there are still significant challenges in achieving the targets and indicators outlined in SDG-15. These challenges require management of land and forest resources with a holistic approach, enhancement of collaboration among relevant institutions, provision of financial support, and establishment of a monitoring and evaluation system.