Socioeconomic Importance of Medicinal Plants and Beekeeping in Mountainous Forest Villages of Artvin, Turkey

This study examines the socio-economic importance of medicinal plants and beekeeping products in mountainous forest villages of Artvin Province, located in northeastern Turkey. Through structured surveys and field observations, the research investigates local knowledge, traditional practices, production methods, and marketing channels in four selected villages: Kayadibi, Camili–Uğur/Çifteköprü, Tütüncüler, and Göktaş. The findings reveal that both medicinal plants and apicultural products significantly contribute to the livelihoods of local communities, with knowledge transmission predominantly occurring within families. Beekeeping activities, often practiced for over a decade, demonstrate the vital role of indigenous knowledge in enhancing productivity and sustaining biodiversity, particularly in designated forest beekeeping zones. The study also highlights local perceptions of climate change impacts, including altered flowering seasons and reduced yields, which pose challenges to resource availability. These insights underscore the importance of integrating traditional ecological knowledge with scientific monitoring to develop adaptive management strategies that support sustainable rural development and biodiversity conservation in mountainous forest regions.