There are 47 rural settlement areas on the buffer zone of the Küre Mountains National Park, which is the first natural protection area, the boundaries of which have been determined by the input and participation of stakeholders in Turkey. The project covers the villages of Harmangeris, Celalli, Gürpelit, Asikl, Dagli, which are attached to the ?enpazar district of the city of Kastamonu. 70 % of the population in these villages are occupied with spoon carving from boxwood, the cutting of which is prohibited in Turkey. The most important problem with the spoon production is that, the raw material is being obtained from the forests of the Küre Montains National Park in an irregular and illegal way.
Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is a small evergreen tree/shrub species growing inside cool and humid valleys and areas adjacent to rivers. The project area is privileged to have samples of large and old boxwood trees in intact corners of the forest, although most have been suffering from unsustainable use for spoon carving and wreath making. Conservation programmes should be developed for their future.

The project will help reduce the pressure on boxwood by way of diversifying the existing woodcarving handicrafts, in other words, by substituting boxwood with an alternative raw material, by replacing the spoon production with a wider variety of products (i.e. souveniers representing the National Park) and by offering them for sale around the National Park.
Due to uncertainties and risks associated with handmade wooden products market, the project will be implemented in two stages. This project proposal constitutes the first phase of the main project and contains mostly planning activities. In the second phase of the project, production of wooden artifacts, as well as, their selling in and around the National Park will be realised in line with implementation details set forth in the first phase.
In the framework of this project, alternative raw materials, which will substitute for boxwood (such as beech, ash tree, maple, etc.) and a diversity of wooden products (souveniers (animal, leaf, fruit figurines, etc.) or functional products (pots, bowls, candlesticks, etc.) such as in the Bahçesaray example) will be identified. Trial productions will be utilised to determine suitability for carving and durability of alternative raw material, as well as, the marketability of products and their price range (determination of unit prices and selling prices). Works related to the logo and label designs, which will introduce the National Park and the product will also begin in this phase.
These products, which will be sold primarily at the entrance points of the National Park and in and around the National Park, are intended to contribute to local economy, the introduction of the National Park, and to increase awareness on the protection of nature.