Interactions AMONG Forest Policy, Education and Research in Turkey: Policy Documents' and Managers' Perspectives

Abstract

The success of forest policy, research, and education depends on full consideration of the needs and knowledge of each other. In parallel to this approach, the goals of the present study were to express the role and content of aspects of forest education and research in the context of documents of the current Turkish forest policy. In addition, this paper aimed to reveal the viewpoints of senior managers of the Turkish forestry organisation in terms of policy-organisation and research-education relationships. Content analysis was used in terms of analyzing the relevant components of forest policy documents and interviews with senior managers of the national forestry organisation, allowed a more in-depth analysis. The findings showed that research and universities are the most important factors in the perspective of National forestry documents. Despite this result, meetings with senior managers of the forestry organisation proved that no real institutional cooperation existed between the organisational units and the faculty of forestry colleges and universities. Creating work groups and holding workshops are several current efforts in terms of strengthening the relationship among policy, research, and education in Turkish forestry. However, some further critical actions regarding strengthening communication, collaboration and institutional relations, developing participatory approaches, and reducing bureaucracy are needed.