Analysis of Contracts and Legislation for Forest Mining Permits in Turkiye: Toward a Sustainable Approach

This study evaluates the effectiveness of environmental and forest legislation in promoting sustainability in Turkiye, with a particular focus on participatory aspects of access to forestland agreements. Utilizing sustainability performance metrics and indicators defined by the World Bank, we identified relevant variables. We then assessed the legislation's effectiveness using statistical methods, based on a sample of 114 participants from the forestry and mining sectors. The study found the legislation ineffective in improving the economic conditions of local communities not relocating during mining activities (62.75% failure rate). Additionally, 52.2% of participants deemed the legislation inadequate in providing access to information, and 58.35% found stakeholder participation insufficient. Legislation regarding the financial profitability of the administration (59.2%), protection of water resources (54.4%), and soil protection (58.3%) was also considered inadequate. While 6 of the 16 analyzed sustainability criteria were scrutinized, suggesting a trend toward sustainable legislation, it cannot be definitively concluded that this trend is sufficient to ensure forest sustainability. Further research and legislative adjustments may be needed to address the identified shortcomings and fully promote sustainable forest management in Turkiye.