Forest ecosystems play an essential role in both adaptation and mitigation towards combating climate change. Forests have potential of reduction around one million tonnes per year. This reduction is possible through the increase of bio mass and efficient management of wood products. Forest lands have a critical importance in terms of adaptation. In the sense that they cover 30% of the country, adaptation capacity and the provided ecosystem services, forests have to be managed effectively. River coastal ecosystems are wetlands that include terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in or outside the forest. With regard to the biotic and abiotic elements they include, these ecosystems are very specifically ecological environments. The benefits provided by river coastal ecosystems are closely related to the land use type in which they take place. For example, if river coastal ecosystems are in agricultural lands they can be useful in terms of improving water quality. However, river coastal ecosystems observed in forests, become more prominent in terms of channel stabilization. The project covers hydrological functions in forests and river coastal ecosystems in all land use types.

River coastal ecosystems, whether in or near the forest, are an essential component of the hydrological basin system. A healthy river coastal ecosystem consists of herbaceous or woody species or the both of them and ensures that the aquatic environment in a basin is in a good condition.

We think that the river coastal ecosystems should be highlighted in the frame of forest planning. Because, the plan concludes the information on the protection of watercourses by separating 25-50 m belts on the both sides of small and narrow based and 50-100 m belts on the both sides of large and wide based watercourses and making moderate interventions according to the forest structure in these areas for the protection of vegetation in the Waterside protection areas included in the procedures and principles of Ecosystem-Based Functional Forest Management Plans and in Technical Principles of Silvicultural Practices. Because of the fact that, forests, especially river coastal ecosystems are not integrated into the watershed planning in the all forest planning documents and management notices in particular, the best management practices guide does not exist in our country. Therefore hydrological functions of forests including river coastal ecosystems with the principles of the best management practices should be included in the all forest planning documents and forest management notices in particular.

The project aims to increase the technical infrastructure and capacity toward providing more effective management of river coastal ecosystems. In this regard, there are two essential components in the project. In the first component, the main output is the "best management practices for river coastal ecosystems," and it is foreseen to be developed with a participatory approach. The second component aims to increase the capacity of the watershed hydrology and watercourse management in forest planning. To this end, a training program covering theoretical and practical issues will be developed and implemented. In the scope of the project, two practical trainings have been planned.