Turkey removes forest boundaries in 27 provinces by decree

A Presidential Decree published in the Official Gazette has removed certain areas from forest boundaries across 27 provinces in Turkey. The regulation affects approximately 4,300 hectares of land, with significant portions located in Ankara’s Kızılcahamam district, as well as parts of Istanbul, Mersin, and Muğla.

To mitigate the loss of forest status, the decree mandates that real estate at least twice the size of the removed areas must be allocated to the General Directorate of Forestry to create new forest lands. These replacement areas must be under state control or Treasury private property.

While the removal of forest status allows for future administrative planning and different land uses, experts have warned that the ecosystem services provided by existing forests may not be easily or quickly replicated by new afforestation efforts.