A SOUND APPROACH FOR RESOLVING THE FOREST PROPERTY PROBLEMS WITH DIGITAL 
PHOTOGRAMETRIC METHOD 
M. Atasoy“*, C. Biyik", O. Demir“, F. Karsli** 
*K TU, Engineering and Architecture Faculty, 61080 Trabzon, Turkey 
(amustafa, cbiyik, odemir, fkarsli)@ktu.edu.tr 
Commission VII, WG VII/3 
KEY WORDS: Forestry, Photogrammetry, Image, Digital, Method 
ABSTRACT: 
The Turkey’s general cadastre works have not been completed as yet. Even some of the areas where cadastre has been finalised, 
forest properties are still under social pressure and as such these areas are in conflict with residential uses calling upon courts to 
resolve the problem. In order to determine precisely the right historical land cover status of the areas under dispute, it is possible to 
benchmark the new and old aerial images of the same area except in case where legal documents are present. Any changes occurred 
in forest cover types over half a century could only be detected and monitored. with this approach. 1/25000 scale standard 
topographic maps, historically taken aerial images and forest management plans are used as evidence documents for lots under 
dispute and in the court. The classic evaluation methods such as visual inspection are seen inadequate and inaccurate in resolving 
forest property problems. Creating digital maps from aerial images using the digital photogrammetric method has proven 
possibilities with desired accuracy. Such approach is more reliable and faster than the classical methods. Using the digital 
photogrammetric method, more accurate data can be gathered and used to solve the problems in forest properties. Then courts will 
make right, fast and reliable decisions about the problems. 
In this study, a district whose property cadastre works was completed in 1985 and with many lots in dispute is selected as a pilot 
area for a case study. Panchromatic aerial images covering the case study area were taken in 1955 and 1982 in the scales of 1/35000 
and 1/23000 respectively, and scanned with 21 micron geometric precisions. Adequate number of control points for digital 
photogrammetric evaluation are established in the pilot region. These control points are surveyed with the nation-wide coordinate 
system using GPS technology. As a result of digital photogrammetric evaluation, the forest property's boundaries are determined 
with £1-1.5m accuracy using these aerial images. With this approach, creating digital maps based on forest cadastre maps and forest 
management plans will be formed. The approach provides important contribution to the forest cadastre works that have been major 
bottleneck in Turkey. Furthermore the forest property problems will be solved easily and the objections will decrease in forest 
property boundaries. 
1. INTRODUCTION was a need of planning forested lands. When socially and 
economically considered, the forest villager's income depends 
The Ottoman Empire was about to collapse when cadastral mostly on agricultural activities therefore forested land planned 
works began in Europe. Meanwhile Empire lost its power on to extend agricultural areas in favor of villagers (Tüdes and 
land properties; gradually lands were civilized day by day. Bıyık, 1995). 
Therefore among other problems the most important problem 
was the land civilization when Republic of Turkey was Because of the these negative conditions, in 1921 "Coppice 
established. New regulations and laws such as acquire by Law” brought in to force to meet the need of villagers and give 
prescription on land management brought in to force to make to them live assurance, according to this law 2 hectare of forest 
easier land civilization. After that, one more thing was to be land left for their private usage. In contrast to expectations, after 
considered that was the finding real ownerships of the land this regulation brought in to force a great deal forested land 
properties and arrange their safety. For this aim, the method devastated. Shortly after these forested lands were turned in to 
called *inspection" was applied in addition to cadastral works arable areas by the villages and their ignorance of the forest. 
(Biyik, 1987). This event showed that forested land must be considered real 
property and nationalized and must not be served to 
Forest cadastral works began in 1937 by governing law privatization. This played very important role to make general 
numbered 3116. In contrast to other developed countries the rule on land management politics (Diker, 1947; Bingól, 1990; 
reason for, why forest cadastral works made by institute Ayaz, 1998). 
different from national cadastral department was the great lack 
of technical problems and technicians at that time because 
beyond ordinary land management and cadastral planning there 
After so-called 4785 *Nationalizes The Forest Area law" put in 
to force, all forestry land (foundation's land, private land, legal 
  
* Corresponding author. 
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