Belgrad Forest Research Articles

Visitors’ Perceptions towards the Sustainable Use of Forest Areas: The Case of Istanbul Belgrade Nature Parks

The main purpose of this study is to analyze how stakeholders’ perceptions of sustainable land use and the management of natural parks affect land management planning, with a focus on park visitors. This study was carried out in July 2019, during a period of high visitor numbers at the Belgrade Forest nature parks, as reported by the park manager. It involved evaluating participants’ knowledge about the specific natural park they visit and the organization managing it. The results show that the mode of transportation significantly influences this knowledge. Visitors who walked or drove to the park demonstrated a greater understanding of the park and its management. A visit to a nature park typically involves anticipation, planning, the visit itself, participating in activities, returning, and reflecting on past experiences. Visitors are drawn to the Belgrade Forest nature parks because of their cleanliness, family-friendly atmosphere, peacefulness, proximity, uniqueness as a green space in Istanbul, wooded areas, and suitability for sports. The study also reveals that the characteristics of nature parks, such as park amenities, distance, transportation options, and reasons for visiting, contribute to visitors’ happiness, especially affecting younger visitors between the ages of 19 and 30. These findings highlight the varied nature of visitors’ impressions after their visit, depending on their individual characteristics. In conclusion, this detailed analysis offers valuable insights to guide strategic park management efforts aimed at promoting sustainability and enhancing visitor experiences in the Belgrade Forest areas of Türkiye.

Examining the Tourism and Recreation Potential of Istanbul Neşet Suyu Nature Park in Terms of Conservation ond Usage Principles

The global increase in urban population and the growth of urban areas have led to a growing need for recreation in urban areas. However, unplanned and unregulated growth of cities causes damage to both their ecological assets and natural resources in the surrounding rural areas. Global climate change has already threatened the world and our natural resources, making the support, preservation, and transmission of ecosystems in urban and rural areas increasingly important every day. In the ranking of forest assets per capita, Istanbul is 78th out of 81 provinces in our country. Therefore, it is essential that forest assets and in-forest recreation areas in Istanbul are used in a more qualified and planned manner compared to other provinces. In this study, one of Istanbul's most important in-forest recreation areas, Neşet Suyu Nature Park, was observed and evaluated through field observations and a survey, considering its existing assets. Neşet Suyu Nature Park, one of the nine nature parks in Belgrad Forest located within the borders of Sarıyer district in Istanbul, is an important recreational area with visitor potential throughout the year, frequently chosen by people. In line with the evaluation results, recommendations have been made to increase the usage potential by prioritizing the preservation of the area's natural and ecological assets to enhance the current usage towards a more qualitative state.

Assessment of residual tree damage after harvesting operation: case study of Belgrad Forest

Üretim sistemlerindeki gelişmeler, yaşanır çevre içerisinde çevresel zararları en aza indirgeyerek en uygun çözüm önerilerine ulaşmayı hedeflemektedir. Çalışma konusunun temelini odun üretim çalışmaları sonrasında sürütme şeridi etrafında kalan ağaçlar üzerinde meydana gelen zararlar oluşturmaktadır. Bu çalışma için toplanan veriler, İstanbul Orman Bölge Müdürlüğüne bağlı Bahçeköy Orman İşletme Müdürlüğü, Bentler Orman İşletme Şefliği ormanlık alanlarındaki 90 nolu bölmedeki üretim faaliyetleri esnasında elde edilmiştir. Meşcerede üretim çalışmaları sonrasında kalan ağaçlar üzerinde oluşan zararlar kabuk ve kambiyum yaralanması şeklindedir. Araştırma sonucunda, meşcerede sürütme zonundaki toplam 296 ağaçtan 52 tanesinde farklı boyutlarda zararlar tespit edilmiştir ve zarar oranı %17,6 olarak bulunmuştur. Bu zararların genellikle sürütme şeridi merkez kenarına paralel 3 m’lik zonda oluştuğu görülmektedir. Sürütme şeridi üzerinde gerçekleştirilen sürütme, taşıma ve yükleme gibi farklı üretim aşamalarından dolayı kabuk zararlarının yerden yüksekliği değişiklik göstermiştir. Ağaç üzerindeki kabuk zararlarının yerden 310 cm yüksekliğe kadar çıktığı görülmüştür. Sonuçlara göre; odun üretim çalışmalarında ağaçlar ve çevre üzerinde meydana gelen zararlardan kaçınılması mümkün olmamakla birlikte odun üretim çalışmalarında görev alan işçi ve operatörlerin konu hakkında bilgilendirilmesi ve gerekli eğitimlerin verilmesi durumunda üretim zararlarını minimize etmek mümkündür. Odun üretim çalışmalarında sürütme şeritlerinin planlaması yapılmalı ve uygun makine seçimine dikkat edilmelidir.

Bentler Tabiat Parkı'nın Rekreasyon Potansiyelini Değerlendirmeye Yönelik Bir Çalışma

Yoğun nüfus ve yapılaşmayla birlikte kent içerisindeki doğal alanlar, halkın rekreatif ihtiyaçlarının karşılandığı yerler olarak her geçen gün daha da kıymetli hâle gelmektedir. Bitki örtüsü ve yaban hayatı ile birlikte görsel değere sahip tabiat parkları da doğal alanlar arasında önemli bir yere sahiptir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Belgrad Ormanı’nda bulunan ve de piknik, doğa yürüyüşü, bisiklet ile gezinti, doğa fotoğrafçılığı gibi çeşitli rekreatif olanaklara sahip Bentler Tabiat Parkı’nın rekreasyon potansiyelinin belirlenmesidir. Bu amaçla, orman içi rekreasyon potansiyelinin saptanmasında sıklıkla tercih edilen Gülez Yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Bu yöntem, rekreasyon alanında peyzaj değeri, iklim değeri, ulaşılabilirlik, rekreatif kolaylık ve olumsuz etkenler olmak üzere beş ögeyi değerlendirerek alanın rekreasyon potansiyelini belirlemektedir. Buna göre; Bentler Tabiat Parkı’nın rekreasyon potansiyeli değerlendirilmiş ve rekreasyon potansiyelinin %77 (çok yüksek) olduğu saptanmıştır. Alanda gerçekleştirilen arazi çalışmaları ve aynı zamanda kullanıcı yorumları da dikkate alınarak Bentler Tabiat Parkı’nda olumsuz etkenlerin azaltılarak rekreasyon potansiyelinin arttırılması yönünde çeşitli öneriler getirilmiştir.

Sustainability of the Belgrad Forest: Visitor Opinions About the Potential, Price and Service Policy

Bu araştırma, İstanbul’un kuzey ormanlarının bir bölümü olan Belgrad Ormanı ve rekreasyon alanının sürdürülebilir kullanımının kullanıcılar odağında analizini ele almaktadır. Şehrin oksijen deposu olan orman, özellikle yerel halkın yoğun olarak spor, aktivite, mangal ile gözlem gibi farklı ilgi alanlarına yönelik faaliyetler için kullandığı yerlerin başında gelmektedir. Bu tür toplu kullanım alanlarında ziyaretçilerin farklı ihtiyaç ve beklentileri olabilmektedir. Bunlardan bir tanesi orman içine yapılacak ücretli tesislerin kullanılma durumudur. Araştırmada ziyaretçilerin mekân kullanım şekli ve yöntemi, ücret politikası, yönetimi ve koşulların iyileştirilmesine yönelik farklı sorular hazırlanmıştır Çalışma sahasında nitel araştırma yöntemi kullanılmış olup, mülakat yapılan kişilerden 193 tanesi değerlendirilmeye alınmıştır. Mülakat sonuçlarında parkı kullananların %68’i memnuniyet belirtirken, soru özelinde bu oran yakalanamamıştır. Ormanlık saha içinde ücrete tabi eğlence sektörünün faaliyete geçmesi konusunda yapılan çalışmada katılımcıların %27’sinin bu amaçlı yeni yapılaşmaya destek vermekte, %73’ü ise ekolojik sisteme müdahale edilmeye neden olacak yapılaşmaya gerek olmadığını düşünmektedir. Ancak orman sahasına yapılacak herhangi bir tesisin ücret karşılığında kullanılmasına ise %74 gibi önemli bir kesim evet cevabını vermiştir. Genel olarak bakıldığında insanlar ormanlık sahada herhangi bir yapılaşmaya sıcak bakmamaktadır. Fakat ücret mukabilinde kullanmaya onay vermektedir. Bu durum park idaresince gelişim ve uygulanacak politik tutum üzerinde yönlendirici olmaktadır. Sonuç olarak her yaş grubunun sıklıkla kullandığı Belgrad Ormanın sürdürülebilirliği, planlı yönetim ilkelerine bağlıdır. Bu yüzden ziyaretçilerin istek ve beklentilerinin ekolojik durumla birlikte değerlendirilmeye alınması planlı kullanımı daha anlamlı kılacaktır.

Carbon Suitability Mapping for Forest Management Plan Decisions: The Case of Belgrad Forest (Istanbul)

Carbon Suitability Mapping for Forest Management Plan Decisions: The Case of Belgrad Forest (Istanbul)

Investigating the Presence of Salmonella spp. in the Feces of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) in Istanbul

Wildlife is an important source of many infectious agents for domestic animals and humans. Increasing interactions between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife may cause the infection of contagious agents between the species. Domestic animals can be easily infected with Salmonella serovars as a result of its asymptomatic presence in the intestinal flora of wild animals and its spreading around. The presence of Salmonella species in the feces of red deer, which is an important member of wildlife in Turkey, was investigated in the present study. A total of 240 fecal samples were collected in sterile dry plastic containers from free-ranging deer at the Deer Breeding Farm in Istanbul Belgrad Forest, at least once a month for a year. The samples collected were examined through conventional culture and molecular methods (PCR). Salmonella spp. was not isolated from the samples examined.

Public participation in decision-making processes in the planning for nature parks: the case of Istanbul's Belgrad Forest.

Belgrad Forest is one of the most visited forest areas in Istanbul and contains nine nature parks which are open to visitors and very popular. This study examines decision-making processes of the planning for these areas. To measure public participation in and approaches to the decision-making processes, a questionnaire was given to 1.103 visitors. It has been observed that the public does not participate in decision-making processes, although the public does have a role in legislation for the forest. Participants especially wanted to have input were determined to be ways of using the forest and ensuring that safety precautions and cleanliness were addressed. A SWOT analysis was carried out with the responsible groups and discussed approaches to planning, legislation, and implementation. The conclusion was that human pressure on nature parks should be reduced. It was suggested that non-governmental organizations should play an important role in decision-making mechanisms, as should individuals.

Element concentration, daily intake of elements, and health risk indices of wild mushrooms collected from Belgrad Forest and Ilgaz Mountain National Park (Turkey)

The aim of this study was to determine the element content of wild edible and inedible mushroom species (Agaricus campestris, Armillaria ostoyae, Boletus reticulatus, Bondarzewia mesenterica, Bovistella utriformis, Cantharellus cibarius, Marasmius oreades, Megacollybia platyphylla, Meripilus giganteus, Neoboletus erythropus, Panellus stipticus, Phaeotremella foliacea, Pleurotus ostreatus, Podoscypha multizonata, Russula aurea, R. chloroides, R. virescens, T. versicolor, Trametes gibbose, and Trichaptum biforme) collected from the Belgrad Forests and the Ilgaz Mountain National Park. Based on the results of elemental analyses, daily metal intake (DMI) and health risk index (HRI) values of edible mushrooms collected from both localities were also calculated. As, Cd, Cr, Se, P, Hg, Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, Al, Ca, Mg, and K contents of mushrooms were in the ranges of 0.16–3.45, 0.09–2.4, 0.15–2.34, 0.3–8.13, 0.28–11.44, 14.03–37.81, 3.87–108.57, 6.18–149.77, 11.9–776.1, 5.4–317.4, 7.4–355.2, 15.4–3517.3, 266.0–2500.0, and 628.0–24083.0 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. As a result of the DMI and HRI analyses, Cu concentration of B. utriformis (DMI: 46.53 μg/kg body weight/serving, HRI: 1.16) and Cd concentrations of A. campestris (DMI: 0.49 μg/kg body weight/serving, HRI: 1.36), A. ostoyae (DMI: 1.03 μg/kg body weight/serving, HRI: 2.86), B. utriformis (DMI: 0.52 μg/kg body weight/serving, HRI: 1.44), and P. ostreatus (DMI: 0.45 μg/kg body weight/serving, HRI: 1.24) were found to exceed the legal limits determined by authorities. It was concluded that the species collected from the regions in question should be consumed in a controlled manner.

A comparative study for obtaining effective Leaf Area Index from single Terrestrial Laser Scans by removal of wood material

Leaf Area Index (LAI) is a dimensionless parameter that has a significant impact on forestry applications. With conventional methods, LAI can be calculated with destructive sample collection or with a relatively new non-destructive method called hemispherical photography. With the engagement of surveying instruments in forestry, obtaining LAI value for large areas in a short time has recently become more prominent and possible with the use of Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS). Although promising, TLS data evaluation techniques for LAI calculation are still subject to development. This paper aims to make a comparative evaluation of existing novel techniques with newly proposed methods and incorporates the use of neural networks and connected component analysis for segmentation purposes. The in-situ measurements, as a case study, were conducted in Istanbul- University-Cerrahpasa research forest – a part of Belgrad forest – Istanbul, Turkey. The Results obtained from the study show that segmentation and removal of wood materials from forest point cloud data, by using neural network algorithms and connected component analysis methods, albeit time and resource consuming, have a promising future on the calculation of effective LAI values of large areas.

Metal concentrations of wild mushroom species collected from Belgrad forest (Istanbul, Turkey) with their health risk assessments.

Wild edible mushrooms are very popular for both their flavors and nutritional values. However, some mushroom species can be harmful to human health as they accumulate some elements in excessive amounts. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P, Se, and Zn of some wild edible (Agaricus arvensis, A. bitorquis, A. sylvaticus, Amanita vaginata, Armillaria mellea, Clavariadelphus pistillaris, Clitocybe nebularis, Clitopilus prunulus, Hygrophorus marzuolus, H. russula, Lactarius volemus, Lycoperdon molle, and Macrolepiota mastoidea) and non-edible mushroom species (A. citrina, Auricularia mesenterica, Chanterellus melanoxeros, Chondrostereum purpureum, Clathrus ruber, L. controversus, L. helvus, and L. zonarius) collected from Belgrad forest (Istanbul, Turkey). Daily intakes of element (DIE) and health risk index (HRI) values of the edible mushroom species were also calculated. The concentrations of the elements in question were determined to be in the ranges of 9.7-556.8, 2.5-2226.7, 0.06-2.52, 0.03-13.17, 3.74-100.19, 13.3-507.4, 2635.0-28614.0, 493.0-2412.0, 6.97-3150.73, 0.29-13.26, 0.38-3.67, and 9.1-293.8 mg/kg, respectively. The Cd concentration of H. russula (DIE: 1.08, HRI: 1.08), Cr concentration of C. nebularis (DIE: 5.64, HRI: 1.88), and the Cu concentration of M. mastoidea (DIE: 42.94, HRI: 1.07) were above the reference values. The results showed that the long-term consumption of H. russula, C. nebularis, and M. mastoidea collected from Belgrad forest can have a negative impact on human health. Therefore, it was concluded that the element concentrations of edible wild mushrooms in this region should be examined periodically.

Deadwood volume and quality in recreational forests: the case study of the Belgrade forest (Turkey)

Aim of the study: The aim of this study is to understand quantitative and qualitative characteristics of deadwood in recreational forests.Area of study: Belgrade forest in the North of Istanbul city (Turkey).Material and methods: The data has been collected through a stratified sampling scheme that has randomly located 50 clusters formed by 3 sample plots each (150 sample plots).Main results: The results show an average deadwood volume of 16.49 m3 ha-1 (81.5% in logs, 16.4% in snags, 2.1% in stumps). The highest volume of deadwood is in oldest forests (age over 180 years) with an average value of 20.39 m3 ha-1, followed by forests with 61-120 years with 15.77 m3 ha-1. Concerning forest management objectives, the results show that average deadwood volume is 13.66 m3 ha-1 in the forest section managed for water resource conservation and 21.14 m3 ha-1 in the forest section managed for recreational purposes.Research highlights: Deadwood management in the recreational forests must consider both biodiversity conservation and recreational attractiveness of an area.Keywords: forest management; forest types; forest accessibility; stand age; wood decomposition rate.

A decision making approach for assignment of ecosystem services to forest management units: A case study in northwest Turkey

In general, studies are carried out to determine the location and to resolve trade-offs in the management of forests according to ecosystem services. The government of Turkey also has been advancing this type of analysis in the practical management of forests. The creation of ecosystem services (ES) suitability map for forests through a participatory approach can provide forest managers valuable information that informs ecosystem-based management plans. The objective of this paper is to formulate and solve the problem of assigning management actions to forest stands in order to optimally provide ecosystem services that are consistent with, and based on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). We outline a model for a participatory process that has seven steps: (1) determine the possible ES that can be supported on the landscape, (2) create a suitability map for each management unit (stand of trees), (3) define SDG for each ES, (4) create the stakeholder groups, (5) determine the importance of each SDG, (6) determine the contribution of ES to each SDG, and (7) assign ES to each management unit in an optimal manner. We used pairwise comparisons and the Delphi method to determine stakeholder preferences. This information guided the assignment of management actions to management units when optimizing ES outcomes. This approach was applied to a case study centered on the Belgrad Forest, located in northwest Turkey. The percent of land assigned to ES was respectively, water regulation (71%), cultural heritage (17%), education (9%), water supply (2%), and carbon (1%). Through this process, for this case study area, there were no assignments for recreation and aesthetic quality services. As a result, the Belgrade Forest was zoned into management classes unlike the current situation. The pairwise comparisons and the Delphi method can help formalize public participation in the decision-making process. Results from these can inform a resource allocation optimization model through the development of coefficients and constraints.

VARIATIONS OF ELEMENT CONCENTRATIONS IN ROOTS OF DIFFERENT TREE SPECIES

ABSTRACT Element concentrations of roots play an important role for plant growth and below ground biochemical cycles in forest ecosystems. It can show a change among species. This research aimed to determine changes in the nutrient content for different root diameters of trees in the Belgrad forest. Natural species of Sessile oak (Quercus petraea L.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Austrian pine (Pinus nigra Arnold.), Turkish fir (Abies bornmuelleriana L.), and Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis L.) were studied. Root sampling was carried out by randomly collecting twenty soil samples within each species once every three months (from April 2007) over one year. Roots were classified by fine root ( 5mm) diameter classes. Total concentration of elements (K, Ca, P, Fe, Mg, Cu, Mn, Al, Ni, Zn, Na) in each root classes were determined. The macro elements Mg, K, and P and all microelements in the included species showed a tendency to decrease in concentration with increasing root diameters. Macro elements except K and P and microelements except Pb, Al, Zn, and Cu showed a significant temporal difference between species based on the root diameters. Al, Pb, Ni, Mn, and Fe showed different antagonistic relations with Ca, Mg, P, and K between species with regard to their concentration in fine roots. There was no significant negative correlation between small and coarse roots in species (except in oak species). The results have shown that nutrient storage characteristics differ between different species in the same site.

Mapping of recreation suitability in the Belgrad Forest Stands

Istanbul is a fast-growing city with a more than 15 million population and limited possibilities of recreational opportunities within its perimeter. The Belgrad Forest, one of the largest forests in Istanbul, currently have only 3.18% of the area designated for recreation. The aim of this research is to assess and map of recreation area (RA) suitabilities in Belgrad Forest stands to enhance forest planning. By this way, the recreation potential of Belgrad Forest will be revealed for meeting the needs of Istanbul residents. We consider nine main criteria for determining the recreation suitability of forest stands (n = 1118). We use the Analytic Hierarchy Process approach to find the importance weights of criteria and sub-criteria as well as total suitability scores of the stands. Finally, we sort all the stands according to their suitability scores and assign them to three classes of recreational suitability: High, Moderate, and Low. Results suggest that the high suitability potential RAs in the Belgrad Forest constitute 8.25% of the total area. Therefore, there is an opportunity to extend the forest recreational uses in this area to at least 8.25%, which would be beneficial to the residents of Istanbul within an environment of expansive urbanization.

Litter decomposition in pure and mixed Quercus and Fagus stands as influenced by arthropods in Belgrad Forest, Turkey

Arthropod assemblages and decomposition rates were compared in the litter of pure and mixed Quercus (Quercus petraea L.) and Fagus (Fagus orientalis L.) stands. Litter was sampled on a monthly basis for 1 year and stored in litterbags of different mesh sizes. The experimental objective was to test the effect of mesh size on litter decomposition, decomposition rates of litter, and diversity of the invertebrate fauna between the two types of stands. Decomposition rates were measured by filling three fiber litterbags of different mesh sizes with pure Quercus litter (3 g) left in the pure Quercus stand, and litterbags with Fagus litter (3 g) were left in the pure Fagus stand. Mixed litter samples were prepared by mixing of equal amounts of each litter in the same litterbag and leaving them in the mixed stand. The residual mass of litter from the pure Quercus stand was significantly lower in fine- and coarse-mesh bags than in the medium-mesh bags in pure the Fagus stand. Carbon and nitrogen levels in the pure Quercus litter were significantly different among the mesh sizes at the end of the incubation period. Macroarthropods from 27 taxa were collected from pitfall traps every month. Their relative numbers differed significantly between the pure and mixed-stand litter samples. Litter-dwelling Isotomidae (Collembola) and Mesostigmata (Acarina), and soil-dwelling Mesostigmata were the most numerous in the mixed stand. It is significant that the abundance of macroarthropods contributed to the mass loss of litter in both the medium and coarse mesh sizes in the mixed stand, but did not significantly affect the mass of litter in the pure stands. In the mixed stand, there was a negative correlation between litter mass loss and total number of microarthropods in all mesh sizes. Mixed-stand litter decomposed more slowly than pure-stand litter.

The First Record of Two-Lined Chestnut Borer Agrilus bilineatus (Weber, 1801) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from Europe

The two-lined chestnut borer Agrilus bilineatus (Weber, 1801) is recorded for the first time from Europe. Two specimens were collected from Belgrad Forest (European part of Istanbul, Turkey). The new record extends the known distribution.

Results of a paired catchment analysis of forest thinning in Turkey in relation to forest management options

Adaptation to climate change has become a more serious concern as IPCC assessment reports estimate a rise of up to 2°C in average global temperatures by the end of the century. Several recently published studies have underlined the importance of forest management in mitigating the impacts of climate change and in supporting the adaptation capacity of the ecosystem. This study focuses on the role of water-related forest services in this adaptation process. The effects of forestry practices on streamflow can best be determined by paired watershed analysis. The impact of two cutting treatments on runoff was analyzed by a paired experimental watershed study in the Belgrade Forest and the results were evaluated in relation to similar experiments conducted around the world. Forest thinning treatments at 11% and 18% were carried out in a mature oak-beech forest ecosystem over different time periods. Although the thinning increased the runoff statistically, the amount of surplus water remained <5% of the annual water yield. Evidently, the hydrologic response of the watersheds was low due to the reduced intensity of the timber harvest. Finally, the results were combined with those of global studies on thinning, clearcutting and species conversion with the aim of formulating management options for adaptation.

Community structure and seasonal variations of soil microarthropods during environmental changes

The community structures and seasonal changes of soil microarthropods in a natural sessile oak (Quercus petraea L.) stand and an adjacent Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) plantation in Belgrad Forest, Istanbul, Turkey were investigated between November 2008 and October 2009. Microarthropods were sampled monthly, using steel soil corers. The mean annual abundances of microarthropods were 42,851 individuals m−2 in the oak stand and 42,276 individuals m−2 in the Scots pine plantation. The Shannon diversity index (H') of microarthropods in the Scots pine stand was 9.6% higher (p <0.05) than those of the native oak stand. Although conversion of a sessile oak stand to a Scots pine plantation did not impact the abundance of soil microarthropods, it increased their diversity.

Marasmiellus istanbulensis (Omphalotaceae), a new species from Belgrade Forest (İstanbul-Turkey)

Marasmiellus istanbulensis from the Belgrade Forest of İstanbul in Marmara Region of Turkey is described and illustrated as a new species based on both morphological and molecular data. A description with field and micromorphological illustrations and comparisons with morphologically close and phylogenetically-related species are provided.