DETERMINATION OF STAKEHOLDERS’ PERCEPTION OF STUMPAGE SALES POLICY IN FOREST MANAGEMENT DIRECTORATE: A CASE STUDY FROM WESTERN BLACK SEA REGION OF TURKEY
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate stakeholders' perceptions of a new forest management policy for stumpage sales in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey. With 99.9% of the country’s forests owned by the government, timber production and sales are managed by the General Directorate of Forests (GDF) in Turkey. Over the past decade, the GDF implemented the new stumpage policy to enhance efficiency and reduce management costs, addressing shortcomings of the previous policy. However, it is essential to consider how this policy change benefits stakeholders, including forest management personnel (GDF's technical staff and forest engineers), forest villagers (FV), forest cooperatives (FC), and forest industries and logging contractors (FI). This research analyzes stakeholder perspectives through extensive survey data and evaluates these findings using structural equation modeling. Results indicate that the current stumpage policy requires revision, as stakeholders perceive it negatively due to its technical, social, and managerial shortcomings. To address these issues, the policy should be reevaluated and improved through a participatory approach involving decision-makers in Turkish forestry, ensuring more inclusive and effective management practices.