Student:	İdris DURUSOY
Supervisor:	Prof. Dr. Mustafa Fehmi TÜRKER
Department:	Orman Mühendisliği
Institution:	Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences
University:	Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey

Title of the Thesis:	Defining National Level Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Turkish Forestry
Level:	Ph.D.
Acceptance Date:	23/1/2009
Number of Pages:	267
Registration Number:	Di671

Summary:

Initiatives to define national level criteria and indicators for sustainable forest

management should be started regarding Turkey’s differences. Responding to this need,

this study attempts to define national level criteria and indicators for SFM in Turkey.

This study created a Delphi panel including three expert groups: Forestry Institutions,

Academicians and NGOs. Based upon Pan-European C&I set, Delphi process enabled to

set a consensus on criteria and indicators for Turkish forestry without face-to-face meeting

through series of questionnaires with feedbacks. Expert panel identified new C&I based on

existing set in the first round of the Delphi process. C&I proposals were analyzed and

classified. Regarding the results of the first round, experts were asked to assess the

importance and measurability of indicators of defined criteria in the second round. In the

final round, Delphi process was finished and feedbacks were sent to experts.

Eventually, quantitative 8 criteria and 125 indicators together with the 1 qualitative

criterion and its indicators were defined as a final outcome of the study. These C&I are

prominent for assessing the sustainability in Turkish forestry. Besides, there are 69

National level criteria and indicators can be effective means for policy makers of forest

sector to formulate national policy and strategies. Political commitment and awareness of

forestry institutions and particularly of ministry is a vital prerequisite for C&I to function

properly as an instrument for effective and efficient management of forest resources.

Therefore C&I should be regarded as a mechanism for operationalizing the strategic

management vision, making sustainability assessments and stimulating forest certification

instrument instead of merely a reporting tool.

Key Words: Sustainable Forest Management, Criteria and Indicators, Turkish Forestry,

Delphi Method, Sustainable Assessment.