Forest Science Board held its first meeting

The "Forest Science Board", formed by the decision of 11 metropolitan mayors from CHP, met online for the first time on 26 August 2021 in the secretariat of the Social Democratic Municipalities Association. Consisting of 13 experts and academics from different fields from forest ecology to climate, environmental law to city planning, the Scientific Committee will advise local governments in their work on the protection and survival of forests.

The Forest Science Board, which was established by the joint decision of 11 metropolitan mayors from CHP, held its first meeting online after the great forest fires that were effective in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions of Turkey. The Scientific Board, consisting of 13 experts and academics on related subjects from forest ecology to climate, environmental law to city planning, met with the coordination officials of metropolitan municipalities with CHP in the secretariat of the Social Democratic Municipalities Association (SODEM) on 26 August 2021. At the meeting, where views were exchanged on the road map to be followed from now on, it was decided to meet face to face for the second time in the second half of September and to evaluate the main issues.

From the climate crisis to forestry policy

The Scientific Committee, which will advise local governments in their efforts to protect and sustain forests, will carry out studies in many areas from burning areas to afforestation techniques, from forestry that takes into account the climate crisis to an innovative forestry policy. In this way, scientific views that will form the common policy of 11 metropolitan municipalities will emerge.

Who is the Forest Science Board?

Prof. from Hacettepe University Biology Department, attended the first meeting of the Forest Science Board. Dr. Çağatay Tavşanoğlu, from Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Forestry, Prof. Dr. Unal Akkemik and Prof. Dr. Doğanay Tolunay, Bogazici University Climate Change and Policies Application and Research Center Board Member Prof. Dr. Murat Türkeş from 9 Eylül University Marine Sciences and Technology Institute Prof. Dr. Songül Finally Bizsel, Associate Professor of Biology at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University. Burçin Yenisey Kaynaş, from Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Forestry, Assoc. Dr. Dr. Oğuz Kurdoğlu from the Leibniz Zoo and Wildlife Research Institute. Deniz Mengüllüoğlu, City Planner Erhan Demirdizen, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Environmental Law and the Right to Food Prof. Dr. Hilal Elver, Disaster and Risk Management Specialist Erdem Ergin, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe Turkey Climate and Energy Policy Coordinator Özlem Katsöz, International Sustainable Cities Association (ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability) Global Policy and Support Manager Yunus Arikan joined.