Abstract: Many areas were allocated by various lows as protected area for conservation of natural resources in Turkey. However, the practice has caused the benefit loss that happens by reason of the prohibitions and limitations for the local people who are mainly living forest villages. As local people are an important entity of protected area and their activities (e.g., livestock, farming, etc.) are directly concerning conservation of forest and others, it is necessary to give focus on their interaction with the nature. In this study, relations between nomadic livestock and nature conservation efforts were discussed by example of Egirdir Region. Field survey was carried out to collect information in each village using interviews from 2007-2008. According to results of the study nature conservation efforts have caused to benefit loss in term of nomadic livestock in the Egirdir Region as well as Turkey. Besides, villagers haven’t been adequately supported in term of alternative livelihood resources, until now. Thus, negative local perceptions have come out concerning protection efforts.

INTRODUCTION

In the world, >1.6 billion people depend on forests in terms of various purposes. Some 350 million people who live within or adjacent to dense forests depend on them to a high degree for subsistence and income (Adhikari et al., 2004; Torn et al., 2007; Vedeld et al., 2007). Local people have legally and illegally used these resources for their everyday needs such as firewood, timber for shelter, non-wood forest products, foods, water, medicine, livestock propose like fodder, grazing etc. (Dolisha et al., 2007; Mamo et al., 2007; Tolunay et al., 2007).

Turkey is a mountainous country with regional climatic differences. The total area is 779.452 km² of which 6500 km² occupied by inland waters. Fifty two percent of 20.7 million forest areas are in degraded and unproductive condition. Ninety nine percent of forests are belonging to state (Konukcu, 2001). Twenty five percent of inhabitants in Turkey have lived in rural areas (TUIK, 2009). Rural people can be divided into 2 groups, namely forest villagers and others. Approximately, 7.6 million people live in 20,482 forest villages located in or adjacent the forested areas. A villager’s annual income is about 400 $USD (TNFP, 2004). The nomadic livestock sector is an important source of income for local people. It is accepted as an important traditional and cultural value by local people named Yoruks, as well. These people have lived as nomads. Their herds graze pasture land and forest. Particularly, kermes oak scrublands are accepted grazing range covering >2.4 million hectare in Turkey (Tolunay et al., 2009a).

On the other hand, nature conservation studies have been continued for a long time period in the world. In developing countries, there is the conventional preservationist or isolationist approach which tends to favour centralized power in order to discourage resource use by local public (Badola, 1998; Rutagarama and Martin, 2006). The conservation by strict rules can generally cause the benefit loss that happens by reason of the prohibitions and limitations for the local people who are the users of this resource (Davies et al., 2007). Particularly, overgrazing is accepted as important factor that contributed to forest degradation and subsequent soil erosion and biodiversity loss in Turkey.

Thus, nomadic livestock have been prohibited by various forestry lows in protected areas. Besides, General Directorate of Forestry, in its action Plan for reducing damage caused by ordinary goats, prepared in 2008, made a number of decisions considering ordinary goat the decreasing of goats. However, some people who are caught grazing ordinary goats in state forests and are ruled to have committed an offence, in spite of prohibitions (Tolunay et al., 2009b; Ozdonmez et al., 1996). Consequently, livestock have been negatively affected by the actual protected area policies as it is forbidden by forest law to raise small cattle and goats within protected areas and in the forests in many areas.

Fig. 1:	Changing of ordinary goat population in Turkey

Especially, ordinary goat population has rapidly decreased in our country (Fig. 1).

Most of village in Egirdir was founded by Yoruks. The main reason that these people moved from nomadic life to settled life and built village in this district is that this district is suitable for nomadic livestock (particularly ordinary goat breeding). However, declared of many areas as protected area depend on nature protection endeavors have caused decreasing of nomadic livestock production. In some villages, nomadic livestock is no longer carried out as well. According to Alkan et al. (2009), after declared as national park of Kovada Lake and its environs, 55% of public are to be exposed to benefit loss in term of livestock.

The prohibition of nomadic livestock completely by reason of a national park in the area has an important effect in the creation of negative perceptions and hostile behaviors on the Park. Besides, in general, the wide spread opposition of forest villagers to restricting livestock from degraded forest lands selected for reforestation and erosion control, is a major obstacle to reforestation activities.

In this study, we discussed interactions between nomadic livestock and nature conservation efforts by example of Isparta-Egirdir Region. Besides, we defined problems of nomadic livestock connected with nature protected efforts as well. Because it is obvious that the local people will not support the protection efforts in such cases that the negative perceptions stand out for the protect efforts, if local interests loss are satisfied. And then hostile attitudes arise related to the resource that is taken under protection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study sites: The study was carried out in Egirdir Country of Isparta Country, located in southwestern Turkey (Fig. 2). Because in this district,

Fig. 2:	Study sites

Fig. 3:	Offences dispersion averages (10 years) in Egirdir*, (*IC: Illegal Cutting, IT: Illegal Transport, KIM: Keeping Illegal Material, ICM: Illegal Consumption Material, LCS: Land Clearing and Settlement, OFL: Occupation of the Forest Land, IG: Illegal Grazing)

There are 29 settlement units of which 1 county centers, 4 small towns (Sariidris, Barla, Pazarkoy ve Gokcehoyuk) and 24 villages in the Egirdir. In this study, survey was carried out at 24 villages shown in Table 1.

Data collection: Primary data was collected by means of survey. The survey was designed to collect information from individuals and groups in each village using structured and semi-structured interviews. In addition, the reports at the end of the several meetings have been used as well.

Fig. 4:	Dispersion of illegal grazing offences (as amount) in Isparta Regional Forest Directorates

Table 1:	Population and household numbers of the researched villages in Egirdir

Existing literature and secondary data such as district and province maps and reports, plans, etc. have also been investigated as other materials in this study.

The survey forms which are prepared to obtain information on many subjects such as social, economic, demographic, cultural features of rural settlements, their perceptions of the forests, nomadic livestock, etc., are completed by using a face to face interview method. The questions given in these forms have been prepared according to the rules concerning how the questions in question forms should be formed. The questions were especially directed towards head of family.

Ten percent of total household number was used to calculate main mass size. There are 4053 houses including vacancy in the research area (Table 1). We conducted the survey with 372 people as we aimed to complete a survey with at least 10% of the subjects for each village out of the total number of occupied houses in the village.

In addition to this, the two different semi-structured interview forms have been used in the study as well. The first form was used when interviewing village managers, while the second form was used in interviews with forest officers and other government agents.

Data analysis: The data were analyzed by means of frequencies (percentages) using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) 15.0 statistical package and ms excel software.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Some socio-economic feature of rural settlements: Rural people in Turkey can be divided into two groups, namely forest villagers and others according to 6831 numbered Forest Law. About 91.7% of researched villages are forest village statute.

The areas suitable for nomadic livestock had a significant role in the formation of the first settlements in the area. With the development of fruit growing, the areas that had irrigation facilities were chosen for the new settlements. Turk-Islamism culture has dominated in the region.

In our country, as the rural settlements are not developed socio-economically there is a wide migration from these settlements to the big cities. As Egirdir Lake particularly enables the development of irrigated agriculture and fruit growing, the economic contributions of it to the area has made a difference to the migration issue. For the purpose of presenting this issue scientifically in the study, we used these questions: Are there migration person your family to big city and other settlements? and lately, are you thinking immigration to another settlement? About 36.8% of the people answered the first question as yes and 84.9% of them answered the second question as certainly no.

The area being economically developed has increased the importance of education as the literacy rate (90-100%) in the area is 20-25 points above the average of rural areas of Turkey.

Many substructure and super structure deficiencies which stand out in many rural settlements in Turkey are not common in this area. Except in the quarters of the villages which have scattered settlements, they are not faced with problems in terms of transportation, electricity and telephone. Although there are facilities such as a school and village clinic in rural settlements; there are personnel and material insufficiencies. The main substructure problem in the area is that it does not have a sufficient drainage system.

While it is looked at Turkey in general, the basic living source for the rural people is forestry operations (Acun and Geray, 1980). However, the agricultural activities (especially fruit growing) are the basic living income in the region (Table 2). The products such as apples, cherries and peaches etc. that are produced in the area are exported to foreign countries.

The district has a significant potential for the fishery because of Kovada and Egirdir Lakes. However, fishery is prohibited in these Lakes, recently.

Rug weaving is an integral part of the local culture and has been an important source of income for local people for generations, primarily for women. However, the rug business has been in decline since the mid 1980s due to competition for labor with orchard production and to decreasing rug prices that have resulted from competition with machine-made carpets.

Egirdir is one of the leading tourism centers. Having historical and cultural values with 2 lakes, the reach flora and fauna structure are the basic reason of this. However, tourism and ecotourism have not been done as an economical occupation for local public.

Also the government employs the people living in these villages for forestry operations such as timber harvesting, afforestation acts, nature conservation efforts, etc. Forestry activities which decrease day by day are an important source of income particularly for some villages of Egirdir for timber harvesting was prohibited in protected areas according to Forest and National Park Laws.

Nature protected efforts (forests and protected areas) and nomadic livestock: As can shown in Table 3, the proportion of the forest area in Egirdir is 110,089 ha. Region is very rich in term of natural resources like forest and watery lands. In Isparta Regional Forest Directorate, there are 95 amount (154.817,25 ha) protected areas according to defined various lows. But, prohibit and limitation regarding nomadic livestock especially is interested in National Park Law numbered 2873. According to this law, protected areas of Isparta Regional Forest Directorate are shown below:

Kovada Lake National Park (6354 ha) and Kasnak Oak Nature Conservation Area (1300.5 ha) are within Egirdir County. Besides, The county has borders to Yazili Kanyon Nature Park and Kizildag National Park. Long term development plan of these protected areas have not still applied as sufficient.

Table 2:	Agricultural structure

Table 3:	Structure of forests
Egirdir State Forest Enterprises

Table 4:	Animal’s numbers in the researched settlements
Field research

Nomadic livestock are directly related to conservation of forest and other natural resources, it is quite necessary to give focus on interaction with the nature (Pandey and Chetri, 2005).

The livestock in the region is done as stable livestock and nomadic livestock (goat and sheep-keeping) are done. Poultry farming and apiculture (beekeeping) are generally deal to fulfill the individual needs. Table 4 has shown to animal’s numbers in the villages.

Overgrazing with ordinary goats is an important factor contributing to forest degradation. Besides, according to last 10 yearly average values, illegal grazing is the most important offence type within forestry offenses, in Egirdir Forest Directorate (Fig. 3) as similarly Isparta Regional Forest Directorates and Turkey.

In this respect, nomadic livestock is forbidden to protected areas and many forest areas. In addition this, the ordinary goat fatten can be tried to exchange with the sheep and stable livestock fatten and the pressure is applied on villagers in this way. The drop out the fatten of the ordinary goat is supported by General Directorate of Forest-Public Relationship (as known the ORKOY). ORKOY is the preeminent institution for the supporting of the forest villagers. Since 1974, ORKOY has disbursed around $150 million (1996 prices) of which 70% was allocated for the development of livestock mainly through the provision of infrastructure (barns) and improved dairy and cattle. Beekeeping received another 10%. Over the past 20 years, about 240,000 families have benefited, or about 15% of the total forest village population (Bann, 1998). Recently, ORKOY has not worked effectively because of lived financial bottleneck and changes about organizational structuring. However, ORKOY had given support to villagers various purposes (Table 5).

As can be shown in Table 4 and 5, despite various supports sheep fatten is not preferred production type as much as ordinary goat for Yoruks. This production type decreases day by day although it is supported by ORKOY in different times.

As can shown in Table 6, 59.7 of the villagers said that they have not done nomadic livestock. The rest are dealing with livestock for various purposes.

For determine the characteristic of livestock in the study, we used this question: What is doing kind of livestock?

This question is answered as stable livestock (26.9%), together stable and nomadic livestock (5.2%) and 8.1% nomadic livestock by the local people which deal with livestock. When asked, Do you going to plateau for livestock? most of local people (95.4%) are answered as No in this question. Plateau owner villages are Yukarigokdere, Akbelenli, Akdogan, Eyupler, Balkiri, Bagoren and Bagacik villages. The primary plateaus are used by owners are Beskuyu, Cavus area and Belkuyu, etc.

When asked, Are there sufficient pasture lands in your village? Most respondents (71%) stated that there are not sufficient lands for pasture. The rest have answer as partly (7.3%) and yes (21.8%). In addition this, 86.3% of local people stated that epidemic is not widespread in the region.

Table 5:	ORKOY supports
Field research and ORKOY registration

For determine the success of ORKOY supports, we used these questions: Do you have support from ORKOY? and Is this support has been useful to you? Both of them are evaluated together and answers are shown in Table 7.

The supports related to the livestock by ORKOY haven’t achieved its goal. Alkan and Dincay (1998) stated, in Isparta Country, 69% of households which they supported by ORKOY left supported job.

In briefly, livestock (especially nomadic livestock) is decline in the region owing to negative impacts of nature protect efforts. However, the recession is depending on macro problems concerning livestock as well. As a matter of fact, in the region, there are important marketing problems in terms of animal products such as milk, flesh, cheese, etc.

For instance, the dairy products are usually cheese which is used for milk production or is consumed as milk. The development cooperatives don’t do necessary enterprise on collecting the dairy products and their evaluation.

For that reason, although the value of the goat milk and cheese is known, it is sold with very cheep price. In addition this, the animals which are grown for their meat is sold alive in all the villages. Selling by cutting is not common.

So this will cause the decrease in the income which will come from the livestock. In a sense, the added value of sold animals as a row material will go out of district. It can be better to sell processed meat and meat products rather than selling it alive animal for keeping the added value in the basin.

Another reason that livestock production is decreasing, especially small cattle production, is the recent increases in area planted to orchards.

In this study, some questions were used for determined to local perceptions connected with nature conservation (Table 8).

The limitations of the benefits and prohibitions especially on the protected areas affect the villagers’ approaches to forest lands in a negative way. As a consequence of this, forest offenses have still occurred in these areas.

That is local people sometimes benefit from the forests and other natural resources as illegal way. For instance, Table 9 have summarized to grazing offence in Turkey, Isparta Forest Regional Ship and Egirdir State Forest Enterprises.

Table 6:	Livestock situation and purposes

Table 7:	Usage of ORKOY supports and success situation

Table 8:	Local perceptions in term of nature conservation efforts in the region

Table 9:	Annually illicit grazing offences in the Egirdir, Isparta and Turkey

CONCLUSION

In the researched area, Nomads named Yoruks have played an important role in the foundation of settlements. They have started settling in certain villages for along time.

The ordinary goat production is a cultural and traditional value for them. The main reason that these people moved from nomadic life to settled life and built village in this district is that this district is suitable for nomadic livestock. As result, traditional nomadism as a production system no longer exists in the region. Besides, Isparta and mountainous areas formed by South-West Taurus Mountains are the important places about nomadic livestock. The livestock sector is an important living source and cultural value for the region.

On the other hand, Egirdir and its environs are very rich in terms of natural resources such as forest and watery lands. So many areas have been declared as protected areas. And grazing is forbidden by forest law to raise small cattle and goats within protected areas and in the forests in many areas. Local people who live in or next to protected areas have affected from this prohibition in negative way. Livestock has decreased day by day in the region. For instance, after declared as National park of Kovada Lake and its environs, 55% of local people are to be exposed to benefit loss in term of livestock (Alkan et al., 2009). Nevertheless, the studies could not be made related to alternative income source for the people as well. Consequently, the negative pressure has increased on the protected areas and forests. This situation arises from the lack of involvement by local stakeholders, a condition that is generally accepted as one of the most important instruments of sustainable forest management.