Nature's Resurgence: Reimagining Society's Perception of Forest Resources Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic (A Case Study of Türkiye)

Year 2025, Volume: 25 Issue: 2, 140 - 151, 30.09.2025

Gökçe Gençay , Mustafa Çelik

https://doi.org/10.17475/kastorman.1787103

Abstract

Aim of study: To investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced society’s perception and utilization of forests and forest resources in Bartın province, Türkiye.
Area of study: Bartın province, located in northern Türkiye, characterized by significant forest coverage.
Material and method: A questionnaire survey was administered to 400 participants, focusing on forest visitation habits, consumption of non-wood forest products, and forestry-related activities during the pandemic.
Main results: The pandemic led to:
o Increased public desire to visit forest parks,
o Heightened demand for non-wood forest products (especially herbal teas),
o Decreased participation in forestry-related work traditionally supporting household income.
Research highlights: Forests emerged as vital refuges providing both physical and psychological benefits during crises. Findings emphasize the necessity of proactive forest management and policies that recognize forests’ ecological, social, and health functions beyond economic value.

Keywords

COVID-19 , Forest Resources , Recreation , Türkiye

Supporting Institution

TÜBİTAK

Project Number

1919B012104176

Thanks

This study was supported by TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) with project number 1919B012104176 as part of the 2209–A Project. Therefore, we are indebted to TÜBİTAK for their contributions and support.

Doğanın Yeniden Canlanışı: COVID-19 Pandemisinde Orman Kaynaklarına Yönelik Toplumsal Algının Yeniden Kurgulanması (Türkiye Örneği)

Abstract

Çalışmanın amacı: COVID-19 pandemisinin toplumun ormanlara ve orman kaynaklarına yönelik algı ve kullanımına etkilerini Bartın ili örneğinde incelemektir.
Çalışma alanı: Yoğun orman varlığına sahip Türkiye’nin kuzeyinde yer alan Bartın ili.
Materyal ve yöntem: Pandemi sürecinde 400 katılımcıya uygulanan anket ile orman ziyaret alışkanlıkları, odun dışı ürün tüketimi ve ormancılık faaliyetlerine katılım değerlendirilmiştir.
Temel sonuçlar: Pandemi ile birlikte:
o Orman parklarını ziyaret etme isteği artmış,
o Odun dışı orman ürünlerine (özellikle bitki çayları) talep yükselmiş,
o Hane gelirine katkı sağlayan ormancılık faaliyetlerine katılım azalmıştır.
Araştırma vurguları: Ormanlar kriz dönemlerinde hem fiziksel hem psikolojik açıdan önemli bir sığınak işlevi görmüştür. Bulgular, ormanların ekonomik değerlerinin ötesinde sağlık ve refaha katkılarının dikkate alınacağı yeni ormancılık politikaları ve yönetim stratejilerinin gerekliliğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

Covid 19 , Orman Kaynakları , Rekreasyon , Türkiye

Supporting Institution

TÜBİTAK

Project Number

1919B012104176

References

• Ang, L., Song, E., Lee, H. W. & Lee, M. S. (2020). Herbal medicine for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(5), 1583.
• Barton, J. & Pretty, J. (2010). What is the best dose of nature and green exercise for improving mental health? A multi-study analysis. Environmental Science & Technology, 44(10), 3947-3955.
• Birben, Ü., Ünal, H. E. & Karaca, A. (2018). Orman kaynaklarına ilişkin toplumsal algının incelenmesi (Çankırı kent merkezi örneği). Turkish Journal of Forestry, 19(1), 76-82.
• Ciotti, M., Ciccozzi, M., Terrinoni, A., Jiang, W. C., Wang, C. B., et al. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic. Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 57(6), 365-388.
• Çoşkun, A. A. (1999). Türkiye’de ormanlardan yararlanmanın yasal esasları. Journal of the Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University, 49(1), 83-110.
• Cullen, W., Gulati, G. & Kelly, B. D. (2020). Mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 113(5), 311-312.
• Dantas, G., Siciliano, B., França, B. B., da Silva, C. M. & Arbilla, G. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 partial lockdown on the air quality of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Science of the Total Environment, 729, 139085.
• Daşdemir, İ., 2016. Bilimsel Araştırma Yöntemleri. Nobel Yayınevi (Yayın No: 1536, 210 syf. ISBN 978-605-320-442-8).
• De Vries, S., Verheij, R. A., Groenewegen, P. P. & Spreeuwenberg, P. (2003). Natural environments-healthy environments? An exploratory analysis of the relationship between greenspace and health. Environment and Planning A, 35(10), 1717-1731.
• Garrido-Cumbrera, M., Foley, R., Correa-Fernández, J., González-Marín, A., Braçe, O., et al. (2022). The importance for wellbeing of having views of nature from and in the home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the Green COVID study. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 83, 101864.
• González-Leonardo, M., Rowe, F. & Fresolone-Caparrós, A. (2022). Rural revival? The rise in internal migration to rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Who moved and Where?. Journal of Rural Studies, 96, 332-342.
• Günay, T. (2003). Ormancılığımızın Tarihçesine Kısa Bir Bakış. Tarım ORKAM-SEN yayını. Ankara.
• Haleem, A., Javaid, M. & Vaishya, R. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 pandemic in daily life. Current Medicine Research and Practice, 10(2), 78.
• Hou, F., Bi, F., Jiao, R., Luo, D. & Song, K. (2020). Gender differences of depression and anxiety among social media users during the COVID-19 outbreak in China: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 20, 1-11.
• İnanç, S. (2019). Artvin Kent Ormanı ve halkın beklentileri. Turkish Journal of Biodiversity, 2(2), 57-61.
• Le Quéré, C., Jackson, R. B., Jones, M. W., Smith, A. J., Abernethy, S., et al. (2020). Temporary reduction in daily global CO2 emissions during the COVID-19 forced confinement. Nature Climate Change, 10(7), 647-653.
• Li, Q. (2010). Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15, 9-17.
• Lopez, B., Kennedy, C., Field, C. & McPhearson, T. (2021). Who benefits from urban green spaces during times of crisis? Perception and use of urban green spaces in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 65, 127354.
• Lyu, B., Zeng, C., Xie, S., Li, D., Lin, W., Li, N., ... & Chen, Q. (2019). Benefits of a three-day bamboo forest therapy session on the psychophysiology and immune system responses of male college students. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(24), 4991.
• Mahmud, S., Mohsin, M., Dewan, M.N., et al. (2023). The Global Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Insomnia Among General Population During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Trends in Psychol. 31, 143–170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43076-021-00116-9
• Marzouk, M. & Othman, A. (2020). Planning utility infrastructure requirements for smart cities using the integration between BIM and GIS. Sustainable Cities and Society, 57, 102120.
• Maury-Mora, M., Gómez-Villarino, M. T. & Varela-Martínez, C. (2022). Urban green spaces and stress during COVID-19 lockdown: A case study for the city of Madrid. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 69, 127492.
• Olszewska-Guizzo, A., Fogel, A., Escoffier, N. & Ho, R. (2021). Effects of COVID-19-related stay-at-home order on neuropsychophysiological response to urban spaces: Beneficial role of exposure to nature?. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 75, 101590.
• Öztürk, A. & Türker, M. F. (2005). Farklı ilgi gruplarının orman kaynaklarına ve orman kaynaklarının sürdürülebilir yönetimine ilişkin görüşlerinin belirlenmesi: Maçka Devlet Orman İşletmesi örneği. Kafkas Üniversitesi Artvin Orman Fakültesi Dergisi, 6 (1-2) (2005), 135-145.
• Pfefferbaum, B. & North, C. S. (2020). Mental health and the Covid-19 pandemic. New England Journal of Medicine, 383(6), 510-512.
• Rajoo, K. S., Karam, D. S., Abdu, A., Rosli, Z. & Gerusu, G. J. (2021). Addressing psychosocial issues caused by the COVID-19 lockdown: Can urban greeneries help?. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 65, 127340.
• Rice, W. L., Mateer, T. J., Reigner, N., Newman, P., Lawhon, B., et al. (2020). Changes in recreational behaviors of outdoor enthusiasts during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis across urban and rural communities. Journal of Urban Ecology, 6(1), juaa020.
• Rousseau, S. & Deschacht, N. (2020). Public awareness of nature and the environment during the COVID-19 crisis. Environmental and Resource Economics, 76, 1149-1159.
• Qiu, W., Rutherford, S., Mao, A. & Chu, C. (2017). The pandemic and its impacts. Health, Culture and Society, 9, 1-11.
• Saadat, S., Rawtani, D. & Hussain, C. M. (2020). Environmental perspective of COVID-19. Science of the Total environment, 728, 138870.
• Sandal, E. K. & Karademir, N. (2013). URLDetermination of people’s expectations and consciousness with adequacy of green spaces in Kahramanmaraş. Eastern Geographical Review, 18(29), 155-176.
• Sang, Å. O., Knez, I., Gunnarsson, B. & Hedblom, M. (2016). The effects of naturalness, gender, and age on how urban green space is perceived and used. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 18, 268-276.
• Saunders-Hastings, P. R. & Krewski, D. (2016). Reviewing the history of pandemic influenza: understanding patterns of emergence and transmission. Pathogens, 5(4), 66.
• Saxena, A., Dutta, A., Fischer, H. W., Saxena, A. K. & Jantz, P. (2021). Forest livelihoods and a “green recovery” from the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights and emerging research priorities from India. Forest Policy and Economics, 131, 102550.
• Slater, S. J., Christiana, R. W. & Gustat, J. (2020). Peer Reviewed: Recommendations for keeping parks and green space accessible for mental and physical health during COVID-19 and other pandemics. Preventing Chronic Disease, 17: E.59.
• Spano, G., D’Este, M., Giannico, V., Elia, M., Cassibba, R., et al. (2021). Association between indoor-outdoor green features and psychological health during the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy: A cross-sectional nationwide study. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 62, 127156.
• Türker, Y. Ö. (2011). The legal principles for utilization of non-wood forest products. Journal of the Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University, 61(1), 13-21.
• URL-1 (2020). https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19. (Accessed 11-march-2024)
• URL2.https://www.nufusu.com/ilce/merkez_bartin-nufusu (Accessed 15-february-2024)
• Weinbrenner, H., Breithut, J., Hebermehl, W., Kaufmann, A., Klinger, T., Palm, T., & Wirth, K. (2021). “The forest has become our new living room”–the critical importance of urban forests during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in forests and global change, 4, 672909.