ID: 2126
Presenting Author: Meliha Beyza Kozak
Session: 668 - Spreading the Deliberative Approach to Impact Assessment and Decision-making
Status: pending
Landscape-scale biodiversity offset in Turkiye, used deliberative planning with shepherds and NGOs to co-design grazing and restoration, resulted in strong community ownership.
The TANAP Biodiversity Offset Program is Turkiye’s first landscape-scale biodiversity offsetting initiative, pioneering holistic grazing management on communal lands and representing a regional first in implementing large-scale biodiversity offsets. Led by WSP and implemented with NGO partners, the program spans seven provinces and integrates biodiversity conservation into long-term forest and rangeland management.
Workshops with multiple stakeholders were held, involving NGOs and government authorities for the development of the Biodiversity Offset Management Plan. Following this, detailed site-specific plans were developed based on local stakeholder surveys, which informed the design of grazing plans, conservation and restoration priorities, implementation methodologies, and site selection, ensuring that actions reflected shared values and practical realities.
As implementation began, the project anticipated hesitation, particularly from communities asked to modify traditional grazing practices, limit or give up access to conservation zones. Inclusive dialogue was prioritized to secure buy-in from villagers, shepherds, and government officials. Their feedback directly shaped conservation and restoration activities and infrastructure investments, such as solar-powered water systems and mobile shelters. Training and engagement sessions were held frequently to support informed participation. Under regular monitoring protocols, community satisfaction scores averaged 4.18 out of 5, reflecting strong local ownership.
Beyza Kozak is an environmental professional with expertise in managing ESIAs and projects requiring inclusive stakeholder engagement, such as biodiversity offsets and livelihood restoration
Coauthor 1: Yildiray Lise