Project Name: Planning of Forests for Their Water Function Project

Date: October 2018/ March 2020

Place: İzmir Bayındır Forest District Enterprise

Role Of DKM: Project implementation

Project Partners: General Directorate of Forestry, Coca-Cola Foundation, United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Fund Small Grants Programme (UNDP GEF SGP)

Summary Of Project:

Within the context of “Planning of Forests for Their Water Functions” Project, works were conducted on water supply, which is one of the most important ecosystem services forests provide in order to integrate forests’ hydrological functions into forest management plans.

The main problem in the Küçük Menderes River Sub-basin is excessive use of surface and underground water  for irrigation. The construction of dams for irrigation purposes have been planned in theKüçük Menderes Basin Protection Action Plan, prepared by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works. The sub-basins of three constructed and under-construction dams have been taken into consideration in the planning. Within the context of the project, modelling works for forests’ soil loss and water yield were conducted, areas under risk were calculated using cumulative evaluation methods and practices which reduce soil loss risk and/or increase water yiled were recommended.  As a result of the integration project which was carried out on a total area of 72,895 hectares, effective irrigation of 66,480 decares of agricultural land will be supported.

Within the context of the project, hydrological functions and related practices were integrated into the renewed forest management plans of Alaçam and Ödemiş Forest Management Units in İzmir Regional Forest Directorate, Bayındır Forest District Enterprise, which are a part of the Küçük Menderes River Sub-basin. The knowledge and experience gained throughout the project were disseminated through booklets and guide books, which were prepared.

This project will develop an integrated forest management planning and implementation approach focused on forest ecosystem services, especially the hydrological functions of Mediterranean forests. Finally, revisions will be made to the current legislation for upscaling this experience thus establishing the base for all the forests in our country.