Work continues rapidly for the "Forest Ecosystem Services for Social Cohesion in Istanbul Forests" project, carried out in collaboration with the Istanbul Regional Directorate of Forestry, Nature Conservation Centre Foundation, and IUCN Urban Alliance under the European Union's Climate Change Adaptation Grant Programme. The project's focus is on identifying and mapping the services provided by forest ecosystems in Istanbul and surrounding provinces, and enhancing social cohesion and resilience.
Aiming to produce nature-based solutions against climate change, the project also intends to ensure the sustainable management of forests in the region. The project's first Steering Committee meeting was held on March 19, 2024, at the Istanbul Regional Directorate of Forestry, and it was announced that important steps would be taken within this scope. At the meeting, issues of developing the adaptation capabilities of forest ecosystems to climate change and ensuring social cohesion were emphasized, and project activities and timelines were shared with the participants. The project is being implemented in a forest area of 630,000 hectares covering the provinces of Istanbul, Edirne, Kırklareli, and Tekirdağ.
Aiming to increase the social resilience in this vast region housing 18 million people, the project seeks more effective use of ecosystem services through nature-based solutions. This innovative approach offers a model for the sustainable management of Istanbul's forests that will set an example worldwide. The project continued to progress with concrete steps through participatory mapping workshops held between September 9-19, 2024, in Istanbul, Kırklareli, Edirne, and Tekirdağ. Approximately 100 participants from 10 forest management directorates affiliated with the Istanbul Regional Directorate of Forestry attended the workshops. Participants contributed to the process of mapping the services provided by forest ecosystems and identifying vulnerable areas against the impacts of climate change. In these workshops, the definition of ecosystem services, their relationship with forestry activities, and the importance of ecosystem services in the sustainable management of forests were emphasized. Key outputs of the project include the creation of a spatial database, modeling studies, and the development of climate change adaptation strategies. Particularly critical functions of forests such as climate regulation, water purification, and carbon sequestration were highlighted, and the economic and social contributions of non-wood forest products were evaluated.
This innovative project aims to strengthen the capacities of local and central governments against climate change, increase social cohesion, and promote the sustainable use of forest ecosystem services. While offering sustainable solutions for the future of Istanbul's forests, the project is also designed as a model that will serve as an example for other metropolitan regions.
