Türkiye: Union sustains FSC joint inspections, strengthens fight for forest sustainability

In a bid to uphold the principles of sustainable forestry, the BWI-affiliated TARIM ORMAN-İŞ has actively participated in the regular workplace inspections conducted by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as a key member of the FSC International.The union took part as a stakeholder in the audits carried out on 18 April 2024, in Sinop province of Türkiye Sinop Regional Directorate of Forestry, Ayancik  Forestry Sub-Directorate, and Yenice Forestry Sub-Directorate, ensuring that the existing problems identified in violation of FSC criteria were transferred to the audit report.

TARIM ORMAN-İŞ's monitoring team joined the regular monitoring of FSC-certified forest areas in Sinop. The union expressed that there is a significant development in working standards in line with FSC criteria. On the other hand, they underlined the fact that the national policy of the General Directorate of Forestry is still very problematic, as it has been forcing forest directorates to produce more than planned. These massive production targets are clearly aimed at meeting the high level of demand for raw materials from multinational wood companies, which endangers the future of forests and thus, the fundamentals of the sustainable forest plan in Türkiye. The union also points out that the Directorate should act to prevent unregistered labour in forestry and provide secure jobs for rural forest workers.

TARIM ORMAN-İŞ will soon publish their own monitoring report, summarising the fact that although the certified directorates are enhancing their standards of production and work, the national policies on excessive production and promotion of unregistered labour prevent access to a balanced and sustainable forestry sector.