Assessment of results of ORKOY implementation projects in forest villages in central district of Kütahya province

In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the implementation results of the socio-economic development projects carried out by Department of Forest-Village Relations (ORKÖY) in the 10 year period between 2010-2019 in the forest villages located within the borders of the central district of Kütahya. In this context, interviews were made with 179 participants in a total of 32 forest villages benefiting from the projects provided by ORKÖY between 2010 and 2019 period within the borders of the Central Sub-district Directorate, Çöğürler Sub-district Directorate, Sabuncupınar Sub-district Directorate and Gümüşdağı Sub-district Directorate, using face-to-face survey method. Frequency and percentage distributions, chi-square independence test, cross table were used to evaluate the obtained data. Cramer's V and Gamma correlation coefficients were also used to determine the levels of correlations. Accordingly, although the participants are forest villagers, the main livelihood of 73% is agriculture-animal husbandry. Unlike the elderly population in many rural settlements, the average age of the participants is 51. 97,8% of the participants stated that the their households is not dealing with forest works, 87,2% of them stated that the relations with the forest organization are good. One of the striking findings is the answers given by the participants to the question of whether ORKÖY is sufficient or not. According to this; while 43,6% of the participants stated that they were partially satisfied, 44,7% of them stated that they did not have any idea. On the other hand, 94% of the participants pointed out that the selection of milk / fattening / solar energy projects realized by ORKOY in the specified period was correct. As a result of the study, it was revealed that ORKÖY projects should be presented by further expanding and developing. Also, in order to prevent migration, initiatives are needed to increase the income of the villagers in agriculture, forestry and livestock. Cooperative, which is important for forest villages, should be better explained to the villagers. In order to improve the relations between the forestry organization and the villagers, the inclusion of forest villagers in all kinds of activities will be effective in solving the problems. Keywords: Rural development, forest village, forest villager, ORKOY projects