Forests are crucial for the well-being of humanity. They provide foundations for life on earth through ecological functions, by regulating climate and water resources and serving as habitats for plants and animals. Forests also furnish a wide range of essential goods such as wood, food, fodder and medicines, in addition to opportunities for recreation, spiritual renewal and other services (FRA 2003). Forestland covers 21,188,746 ha, which corresponds to approximately 27% of the surface area of Turkey (OGM 2007). Forests are among the most popular ecotourism destinations because of their unique values for tourists interested in nature in local values and culture. It is therefore critical to adopt a sustainable development approach in the management of mountains and forests, where biodiversity must be conserved in the long term to minimize the negative impacts of tourism. This is increasingly being acknowledged by governmental institutions and nongovernmental organizations in some areas of Turkey. We report here on the development of ecotourism and the support of local communities and other stakeholders in the Kure Mountains, emphasizing awareness-raising activities and benefits to the local economy.
Ecotourism in Turkey
The Kure Mountains, located in the provinces of Kastamonu and Bartin—one of the largest protected areas in Turkey with old-growth forest formation—have been visited by growing numbers of tourists since 2000. There are no statistical visitor data about the Kure Mountains, but tourism statistics for Kastamonu (2000–2006) give a picture of the increasing numbers of tourists in the region (Table 1).
Table 1.
Kastamonu city tourism statistics. (Source: Ministry of Culture and Tourism 2006)
It is encouraging that there are different environmentally sensitive undertakings supported by both the local public and conservationists in the Kure Mountains region. In particular, the Kure Mountains Ecotourism project of WWF Turkey, and the Zumrut Village Ecotourism Project run by the Kastamonu Ecotourism Association, were successfully implemented in the region. These efforts make the region a pioneer not only in biodiversity conservation but also in environmentalist enterprises such as ecotourism in protected areas of Turkey.
General characteristics of the Kure Mountains
The Kure Mountains are situated in the temperate forests of North Anatolia and the extension of the Eastern Black Sea Mountain system to the west; 37,000 ha of this area were officially gazetted as national park on 7 July 2000. The buffer zone surrounding the park comprises approximately 60 villages with a total of 20,000 to 30,000 inhabitants, mainly middle-aged and older. The main economic activities include forestry, agriculture, apiculture, woodcarving, weaving, chestnut farming, and tourism. The average annual income is below €400 (US$ 536) per capita (Anonymous 1999; Kalem 2005). The settlements in the buffer zone are rich and diverse in folklore. In addition to the natural assets of the park, these folkloric values and traditional wooden houses are highly important for tourism (Anonymous 1999).
Land, landscape, and biodiversity
The area represents a unique karstic system, which is the result of a malm-cretaceous old shallow marine transgression as well as wildlife and old-growth forest formation, which are of both social and environmental value (Kalem 2001). The Kure Mountains provide a rich variety of habitat diversity. As one of the 9 Mediterranean forest hotspots in Turkey identified by the WWF, the national park is a contribution of the Turkish Government to WWF's “Gifts to the Earth” initiative (DHKV 2000).
The western section of the mountains has been identified as one of the 122 important plant areas in Turkey by a recent study of WWF Turkey. The site represents the best remaining example of the deciduous and coniferous forests of the North Anatolia subecoregion as well as of the highly endangered karst mountains of the Black Sea humid forest ecotype (Kalem 2005). There are 80 endemic and 45 endangered plant taxa, 32 of which are rare species (Ozhatay et al 2005). The Kure Mountains are also one of the important bird habitats of Turkey. Additionally, they provide habitats for approximately 30 of the 132 mammal species of Turkey (Eken et al 2006; Kalem 2005).
New opportunities and ecotourism development for local people and tourists
Alternative job opportunities compatible with education, awareness-raising, and sustainable resource management in the area are of special interest for the local public. A number of projects were developed to involve these local communities. The first was implemented by the Kastamonu Foundation for Development, Health, Environment, Education and Tourism with financial support from the WWF Mediterranean Programme in 2000. Involving local communities in protecting their environment was the primary aim of the project. Ecotourism was identified as one of the best options for developing alternative livelihoods for these local communities. Educational activities for local communities and the local authorities included seminars on the sustainable use of forest resources and conservation of biodiversity. In addition, a traditional village house was renovated as an ecotourism center. After opening the Pinarbasi Ecotourism Center in 2001, tourist guide training courses were organized and certificates were issued to 20 local nature guides.
In 2002, ecotourism guide maps were published to inform both domestic and international visitors about multifunctional forests in the Kure Mountains. In 2003, income from the maps was used to establish the Kastamonu Ecotourism Association, which brings local nature guides together and aims to enhance the attractivity of the villages around the park for tourists. Both publication of the maps and the foundation of the Kastamonu Ecotourism Association helped to draw media attention to biodiversity conservation and ecotourism activities in the area (Anonymous 2006a; Bulus 2006).
Another successful undertaking is the Zumrut Village Ecotourism Project, financially supported by the GEF Small Grants Program and executed by the Kastamonu Ecotourism Association between 2004 and 2006. Zumrut village in Azdavay district in the southeast of the national park has more than 350 inhabitants, but only 35 of them live permanently in the village. Most of the people migrated to Istanbul to find a job or obtain education. The village has experienced economic loss as a result of the designation of the national park, which creates a negative attitude among local people towards the national park and nature conservation in general. This project aims to improve ecotourism in the Kure Mountains and its environs in order to create alternative livelihoods for local people. The project contributed to awareness-raising about sustainable use of forest ecosystems and participation of local communities in the management of the national park. Ecotourism opportunities and threats were determined and potential nature-based ecotourism activities were identified, such as bird and wildlife watching, trekking, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, caving, canyoning, and rock climbing.
In 2006, a public awareness programme was finalized; one village house and one mansion with 25 beds were restored in the traditional architectural style. The old village school building was refurnished as the Visitor and Public Awareness Center. The village house and mansion are now operated by the local public; training courses on packaging and preparation of organic products are very popular among women. Probably the most important contribution of the project to the local community, especially for women, foresters, and unemployed youth, was to offer alternative livelihoods in local nature guidance, organic and traditional hand-made products, bicycle and horse rental, and accommodation in village houses. The villagers made approximately € 2300 (US$ 3082) in 5 months from ecotourism activities (Anonymous 2006b; Bulus 2006).
At the end of 2006, the PAN (Protected Area Network) Park letter of intent was signed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry for the Kure Mountains National Park, and the verification process was initiated.
Conclusions
Although the Kure Mountains have legally been a national park since 2000, the area suffered from lack of management that promoted sustainable use of forest landscapes, since the management plan had not yet been approved by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Moreover, the local public receives no revenues from the national park. Therefore, the alternative livelihoods aspect of ecotourism is one of the most important outcomes of the multifunctionality of forest landscapes in the Kure Mountains.
The Kure Mountains offer an almost ideal combination of natural, traditional, and socio-cultural assets. The hospitality of the local community makes the area even more attractive for ecotourism. Successful efforts have contributed to awareness-raising on conservation and ecotourism among the local inhabitants and authorities by involving local NGOs, donors, sponsors, media, and scientific institutions.
Among the further steps to be taken, the highest priority is to revise and approve the new Management Plan with its multifunctionality of forest landscape approach. Following that, a “Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy” and a “Visitor Management Plan” should be developed, implemented, and monitored in a systematic way.
A sustainable perspective for the Kure Mountains National Park and the region can never be realized by tourism alone. Tourism, if planned and monitored carefully, is one of the tools of multifunctional forestry development. Through sustainable and integrated management efforts, the Kure Mountains area will be one of the pioneer protected areas in an international context and the first PAN Park in Turkey representing a successful balance of conservation and use.
