Forestry Industry Gathers at Panel Organized by Kastamonu Entegre

Wood-based panel sector's global brand Kastamonu Entegre celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special event program in Kastamonu, where its first facilities were established. The focal point of the Forestry Industry Panel organized within the scope of the "Kastamonu Entegre 50th Year Meeting" was the subject of "industrial plantation/plantation forestry," which also holds an important place in the General Directorate of Forestry's 2023 vision. Within the framework of the "Kastamonu Entegre 50th Year Meeting," the Forestry Industry Panel held on Tuesday, 3 September 2019 at Kastamonu University Bilgehan Bilgili Library examined the sector's past, present and future. The panel, moderated by Kastamonu Entegre Raw Materials Supply Director, Forest Engineer Tevfik Dedebaş, addressed current issues such as sustainable forestry policies, use of wood-based panels in green buildings, and university-private sector cooperation. Among the panel speakers were Kastamonu Entegre CEO Haluk Yıldız, Former General Director of Forestry Osman Kahveci, Deputy General Director of Forestry Hayati Özgür, faculty members from Black Sea Technical University Prof. Dr. Hülya Kalaycıoğlu, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Usta, and Prof. Dr. Sezgin Ayan from Kastamonu University.

"Turkey is in a transition zone"

Kastamonu Entegre CEO Haluk Yıldız, speaking first at the panel, shared important information in his presentation addressing the bottlenecks of the wood-based panel sector and possible solutions: "In renewable energy, there are energy sources we call wind, solar, water and biomass. Agricultural waste and forest waste are also being converted to energy. These sectors have grown so much especially in Europe that they have become competitors to MDF-producing sectors. In Europe, since there are sufficient forest resources for both sectors, this issue has been discussed for years. When we look at the map of Turkey, we have desert beneath us and greenery above us. We are in a transition zone. Therefore, it would be unfair to Turkey's forestry to compare Turkey's forestry with that in Germany or Russia." First application from Kastamonu Entegre. Pointing out that industrial plantation forestry, which ensures efficient use of resources within sustainable forestry policies, has not yet begun in Turkey, Yıldız spoke about global practices as follows: "When investment is made in plantation forestry on existing land that could be forest, only in Brazil they can meet the needs of almost the entire world. China continues to import but plantation forestry is also growing on the other hand. Vietnam invested in plantation forestry with state initiative over the last 7-8 years and has now become the world's largest wood chip importer." Pointing out that Kastamonu Entegre has set a precedent in this field in Turkey, Yıldız added that they have started plantation forestry and harvesting in areas leased from the General Directorate of Forestry. "Our forest resources reached 22.6 million hectares" Deputy General Director of Forestry Hayati Özgür, noting the increase in Turkey's forest resources, stated that they carry out afforestation on 40 thousand hectares annually. Özgür said that Turkey's forest resources, which stood at 20.2 million hectares in 1973, reached 22.6 million hectares as of 2019, and the 2023 targets are 23 million hectares, continuing his presentation as follows: "Despite this production, people always get the impression that trees are being cut down, our forests are decreasing. This is absolutely not the case. We are rejuvenating and maintaining our forests. We meet the sector's needs with the inventories we produce."

"Industrial plantation is a priority in the 2023 vision!"

Stating that they conducted a total of 4 million 450 thousand cubic meters of young stand maintenance, including 2 million 450 thousand cubic meters of tending for fiber chips and 2 million cubic meters of first thinning maintenance, and that they offer these according to the sector's needs based on the resulting inventory, Özgür shared the following important information regarding 2023 plans: "We have reached 8 million cubic meters from 3 million cubic meters in the 2000s. In fiber chips, we see that we have gone from 1.3 million cubic meters to 1.9 million cubic meters. In our 2023 vision, by specifically bringing industrial plantation to the agenda, we aim to increase this production to 40 million cubic meters by conducting work in poorly maintained forest areas. We have included 300 thousand hectares of industrial afforestation work in our program, at 60 thousand hectares per year. We currently have 9.6 million hectares of degraded forest areas, and according to law, we can issue industrial plantation permits in these areas. Therefore, if such demand comes, we can provide these areas to our sectors."

"The return to wood cannot be stopped"

Former General Director of Forestry Osman Kahveci, providing information about sustainable forestry activities, pointed out that forests have been benefited from in every period of history and drew attention to the renewed increase in demand for wood: "Wood is one of the measures of development and wealth. Many substitute materials came instead of wood. Yesterday, PVC was especially used in door and window frames. Today it is still used, but those who used it yesterday were wealthy. Now it has reversed. As its properties become known, the return to wood cannot be stopped. In other words, no matter what substitute material you bring, it will not replace wood." The first part of the panel was followed by scientific presentations by leading figures in forest engineering discipline. Prof. Dr. Hülya Kalaycıoğlu with "Use of Wood-Based Panels in Green Buildings and New Trends," Prof. Dr. Mustafa Usta with "Forest Products Chemistry and Technology," and Prof. Dr. Sezgin Ayan with "Rejuvenation and Maintenance in Forests; Industrial Plantation" made valuable contributions to the event with their presentations.