• Rize
• 12 June 2026
• Rize Valiliği

As part of the DOKSAY Project, which aims to prevent land degradation and promote sustainable land management practices in the Eastern Black Sea Region, an important mechanism was established in Rize to strengthen inter-institutional coordination. The DOKSAY Project Local Working and Coordination Board was established to support the implementation of the Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan prepared for the Kireçhane Micro-Watershed.

The first meeting of the Board, chaired by Rize Governor Selim Baydaş, was held on 11 June 2026. In the opening session, Rize Deputy Governor Abdullah Kurt and Fatma Toru, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Combating Desertification and Erosion, emphasized that inter-institutional dialogue and cooperation are critical to the success of integrated natural resource management.

The meeting was attended by public institutions, local authorities and other relevant stakeholders working in land and water management, forestry, agriculture, biodiversity conservation, disaster management and rural development.

The meeting reviewed ongoing activities in the Kireçhane Micro-Watershed, designated as the pilot implementation area under the DOKSAY Project. Priority activities to strengthen sustainable land management in the watershed, as well as the contributions and responsibilities of relevant institutions, were also discussed.

The Board’s working procedures and principles were discussed, establishing the basic framework for its operation. It was agreed that the Board would meet regularly to monitor implementation and ensure the necessary coordination.

Through the Board, the project aims to ensure that activities identified under the Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan are implemented in coordination by the relevant institutions, that implementation results are regularly monitored, and that the effectiveness of sustainable land management efforts at the watershed level is enhanced.