Fir Working Circles in Functional Forest Management Plans of Regional Forestry Directorate of Kastamonu

Fir, which is one of the main tree species with natural distribution in Turkey, has four taxa. These taxa include Abies nordmanniana subsp. bornmulleriana, Abies nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani, Abies nordmanniana subsp. nordmanniana, Abies cilicica subsp. cilicica and Abies cilicica subsp. isaurica. Our own species, Abies nordmanniana subsp. bornmulleriana is widely distributed in the borders of Regional Forestry Directorate of Kastamonu. Forest management planning process, started in Hendek (Adapazari) in 1917, and proceeding with some improvements, has been maintained as functional planning. The borders of Sub-district Directorate is divided into working circles in terms of various issues (rotation, tree species, etc.) in the scope of planning performed on the basis of Sub-district Directorate. The Regional Forestry Directorate of Kastamonu, constituting a basis for the topic of this study, has 133 forestry Sub-district Directorates. Working circles identified in the management plans of forestry Sub-district Directorates within the distribution areas of fir are reviewed in this study. Issues such as in which Sub-district Directorate has a separated fir working circle, characteristic of working circle (pure or mixed stands) and the aims of working circle are tried to be identified. Maps showing the distribution areas of fir within the borders of Sub-district Directorates have been prepared by means of geographical information systems.