Attention was drawn to the economic power of forests

21 March International Forest Day, which is celebrated every year around the world in order to draw attention to the importance of forests in terms of sustainable development, environmental sustainability and human welfare, was held this year with the theme of "Forests and Economies". The event, organized in cooperation with the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), brought together representatives of the public, academia and private sectors.

At the event, which emphasized that forests are one of the basic elements of not only environmental but also economic development, global forestry trends and Turkey's work in this field were comprehensively discussed.

The event started with the video screening of FAO's International Forest Day, while the global perspective with the video message transmitted from FAO Rome. shared with the participants. In the opening speeches, the value of forests as natural capital, their relationship with sustainable development goals and their role in the bioeconomy were emphasized.

Giving a speech at the program, General Director of Forestry Bekir Karacabey said, "Our forests are a strategic value for the Turkish economy. We are talking about a structure that strengthens domestic production, reduces foreign dependency and provides income to millions of our citizens. Every sapling we plant is an investment not only in nature but also in the future of our country. In 2025." We carried out afforestation work on an area exceeding 129 thousand hectares and planted 517 million saplings in our country since 2003. Our goal is to further strengthen the Green Homeland by planting 10 billion seeds and saplings by 2030.” he said. 

In the main speech given by FAO Central Asia Sub-Regional Office Forestry Officer Ekrem Yazıcı, within the scope of the program, the prominent findings of FAO's Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2025 report were shared. In the presentation, changing trends in global forest assets and the economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable forest management were discussed in detail. 

Experts from different disciplines came together in the panel session titled "Forests and Economy: Transition from Global Data to Policy and Practice" held at the end of the event. The critical role played by forests in economic development, bioeconomy and sustainable natural resource management was discussed in the panel.

Participants shared their views on the integration of forest ecosystem services into economic policies, the importance of non-wood forest products in rural development and the opportunities offered by forest-based solutions in the green transformation process. The panel also emphasized how global data can be reflected in national policies and the importance of Turkey's experiences in sustainable forest management.