Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry

Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project(2000-2008) Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

THE PROJECT Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management Project which was funded by the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility(GEF) and executed by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks (GDNCNP) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) since 2000 was completed on October 2008.. Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project a Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

PROJECT PARTNERS 1)Ministry of Environment and Forestry -General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks -General Directorate of Forestry 2)Ministry of Culture and Tourism PROJECT BUDGET GEF Contribution : 8.2 Million US Dollars Government Contribution : 3.3 Million US Dollars TOTAL : 11.5 Million US Dollars Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project a Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Project Objectives • To establish effective inter-sectoral participatory planning and sustainable management of protected areas and natural resources at project sites. • To build capacity at the national level to facilitate replication of these activities at priority conservation sites. Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Project Components • strengthening the national framework for biodiversity conservation; • participatory review and development of a strategy for rationalization of the legal framework for biodiversity conservation • strengthening the institutional capacity to develop a national network of protected areas • (c) establishing a system to monitor the status of biodiversity and conservation initiatives throughout the country Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

(d) development and implementation of a prioritized national strategy and targeted action plan for raising the awareness of key stakeholders and the general public about biodiversity conservation in Turkey (e) demonstrating how biodiversity conservation can be mainstreamed in the forest management planning process at three of the four project sites. (ii) developing prototypes for effective protected area management; This component will focus on building skills of Protected Area Management Authority (PAMA) staff, within MoEF, developing protected area management planning systems. (iii) Project management and monitoring; Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

PILOT PROJECT SITES Four demonstration sites were selected to represent each of Turkey’s four main bio-geographic zones and to include biodiversity of national and global significance. Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

PROJECT SITES

Camili Biosphere Reserve(Caucasian mixed temperate rainforest and high alpine meadows in the Eastern Black Sea Mountains )

Sultan Sazlığı National Park (Ramsar Site)(Wetland and steppe ecosystems of the central Anatolian plateau)

Köprülü Kanyon National Park(Mediterranean forest and high alpine ecosystems of the Taurus mountains in Southern Turkey)

İğneada Longos Forest(Alluvial forest with associated aquatic and coastal ecosystems of the Thracian Black Sea Coast )))

Project Outputs and Outcomes • Draft Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Law has been prepared • The Draft Law has been reviewed by the related units of the MoEF,after the end of this process,draft law will be presented to the Parliament. • National Biodiversity Data Base System (www.nuhungemisi.gov.tr) has been established • A National Biodiversity Monitoring Unithave been established • under the MoEF to monitor the biodiversity of Turkey,and • interim faces of the system are about to be developed to • insert the data. Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Participatory Protected Area Management Plans for the Pilot Sites have been prepared • Experiences gained during the preparation of these plans were integrated into the Technical Specifications of the Long Term Development Plans prepared for the protected areas by the GDNCNP. • Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Protected Area Management (RAPPAM) has been developed • Pressures and threats on the protected areas of Turkey and socio-economic importance have been appraised . • Gap Analysis in Innner Aegean and Marmara Regions have been completed • Rich areas of biodiversity and the areas to be protected were determined in these regions. Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Biodiversity Integrated Forest Management Regulations and Technical Orders have been prepared • Biodiversity concerns are being integrated into Forest Management Plan preparation processes. • İğneada, Camili and Sultan Sazlığı Visitor Centers and Other Infrastructures have been constructed • Visitor Centers and other facilities were constructed for training,awareness and information purposes to the visitors and target groups. Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Strategy and Action Plan for Capacity Building the NGOs on Biodiversity has been prepared • Strong collaboration and partnership is being established and protected area planning and biodiversity conservation together with the NGO’s have been successfull at national and local levels. • Biodiversity Integrated Forest Management Plans for İğneada and Camili have been prepared • These plans became the first for Turkey.Experiences and approaches gained are used in the planning of the other regions. • National Awareness Strategy and Action Plan on Biodiversity has been prepared • Local level implementation of this strategy have extremely been succesfull.Audivisual and written materials were prepared to create awareness among people at national level. Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Strategy and Action Plan for Capacity Building the NGOs on Biodiversity has been prepared • Strong collaboration and partnership is being established and protected area planning and biodiversity conservation together with the NGO’s have been successfull at national and local levels. • Cultural Management Plan has been prepared within the context of Protected Area Management Plan for Köprülü Kanyon Project Site • This plan prepared in compatible with the Management Plan of Köprülü Kanyon National Park will be operational together with the implementation of the Management Plan. • Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy in and around the protected areas of Turkey has been prepared. • This strategy which was combined with the experiences gained from PAN Parks(protected area network) and project sites will be a quidelines for sustainable tourism approach in and around the protected areas of Turkey. Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

150 Small Grants Program Projects’were implemented by the local people living in or around the protected areas • These projects have had positive effects on biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of natural resources. • Replication Areas Studies • Training,awareness,rapid ecological and socio-economic appraisals and capacity building studies were carried out below mentioned replication areas under the project. • Acarlar Longozu (Sakarya), Akgöl Nature Reserve (Konya), Amanos Mountains (Hatay), Karagöl Nature Park (Borçka-Artvin), Kovada Gölü National Park (Isparta), Küre Dağları National Park ( Bartın- Kastamonu), Sarıkum Nature Reserve (Sinop), Tuzla Gölü (Kayseri), Yazılı Kanyon Nature Park (Isparta) Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Number of Small Grant Program Projects, by Project Sites Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Examples From The Small Grant Projects Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project

LESSONS LEARNED Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project

Publications Prepared for Capacity Building • ‘’Protected Area Planning and Management’’guide book • “Protected Areas Planning İn Turkey’’guide booklet • “Training in Protected Area Management’’guide book • “Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy in and around Protected Areas of Turkey’’guide book Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

“IUCN Category System in the Management of the Protected Areas of Turkey’’guide booklet • “Rapid Appraisal and Prioritization of Protected Area Management’’guide booklet • “Capacity Building Strategy and Action Plan for Biodiversity Related NGO’s’’guide booklet • “Small Grants Program” (DVD) Biodiversity and Natural ResourcesManagement Project Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks

Thank you... Prepared by: Erdoğan ERTÜRK Project Coordinator Republic of TURKEY Ministry of Environment and Forestry General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks Tel: + 90 312 207 58 83 E-mail: erdoganerturk@yahoo.com

Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Forestry