WORLD FORESTRY DAY AND PROJECTS BY CEKUL AND TEMA IN TURKEY,  
For Combatting Erosion and Promoting Reforestration

by Yuksel OKTAY, PE

The "El Koyun" campaign started by TEMA (The Turkish Foundation Combatting Erosion, for Reforestration and for the Protection of Natural Habitats) on March 21, the World Forestry Day, is still ongoing, which has saved one village from total soil erosion. The advertisements on TV and news media with fruits and vegetables shown in soil (with a remark that if we have no soil, we have no fruits or vegetables), calls for contributions and states that work in 9 more villages are continuing, which is a token representation of fight against erosion in Turkey. One way to contribute to this worthwhile effort is to send a message to 3464 on Turkcell, Telsim and Avea, donating 5 YTL. TEMA has also been working on a project for planting 5 million oak saplings accross turkey for the past 6 years.

One of the many slogans that we were taught at our schools during the fifties was "loving the forest is loving your country." The first poems we read were those written by the forest ranchers about the trees, flowers and the forest habitats.However, according to many concerned individuals, fifty percent of the forests in Turkey have been lost during the past fifty years due to unplanned destruction to make way for roads, buildings, dams and fires, most started by careless campers, and has impacted the animal and insect life in these areas. Only a few weeks ago, fires devastated the entire area at Ayvalik's famous Seytan Sofrasi hill filled with pine trees, known as "kizil cam".

There are now many organizations and individuals who are devoting their times and energy to plant trees for different and worthwhile causes. Vahap Munyar, a reporter for Hurriyet, following the Ayvalik fire, started a campaign asking for couples to plant five trees before they get married, supported by the Minister of Environment and Forest as well. To date, 350 million trees have been planted. Yavuz Bulent Bakiler, a reporter for Tercuman, wrote in his column recently that he had started a campaign to plant 100 million trees by the 100th anniversary of Ataturk's birthday in 1981. Unfortunatley, after planting 5 million trees, the project was halted following the 12 September 1980 military coup.

Another organization which has been actively supporting the re-forestration of Turkey CEKUL (Cevre ve Kultur Degerlerini Koruma ve Tanitma Vakfi - The Foundation for the Promotion and Protection of the Environment and Cultural Heritage )  started a project to plant 7 red pines in 1992 following the destruction of many forests by fires. The foundation works with the Forestry department where reforestration is needed and provides the  pine trees which are purchased through contributions. During a recent visit, Necdet Ozturk, the head of the regional forestry department in Bilecik, helped me to locate the red pines that were planted near Osmaneli where a fire had destroyed the forest. Planting of pine trees that were started in 2002 has been completed under constant surveillance to assure growth by devoted emplyees of the department, such as Ibrahim Durmaz who showed me the trees that were planted in 2004, numbered from 42267 to 42273 (Photo No 1). The hill which was once covered with pine trees and now replanted is shown in Photo No.2.

Why 7 trees. The foundation brochure states that each one of us uses paper every year that are made from 7 trees. Therefore everyone should participate in this worthwhile project, especially the Turks living abroad, and have trees planted in honour of their children, grandchildren and anyone else. The trees are planted accross Turkey where there is a need and has been very succesful.

Yasar Kemal, the renowned Turkish author, was the key note speaker at Sabanci University graduation ceremonies this year. In his excellent speach to the graduating class, carried live on HaberTurk TV channel,Yasar Kemal warned the students about the ongoing wars and the destruction of forests as being the greatest evil facing humanity.

Yuksel Oktay, PE

August 8, 2006, Istanbul

Footnotes:
(1) ÇEKÜL - The Foundation for the Promotion and Protection of the Environment and Cultural Heritage

The Foundation for the Promotion and Protection of the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ÇEKÜL) strives to foster and build a nation-wide awareness and social network for the preservation and protection of Turkey's environmental resources and cultural heritage. Founded in 1990 by 25 professors and experts from various academic and cultural fields, ÇEKÜL has become one of the largest non-governmental organizations of Turkey with 100 representatives throughout the country along with nearly 650,000 participants involved in various projects and an advisory board of 700 specialists. www.cekulvakfi.com.tr.

(2) TEMA - The Turkish Foundation Combating Erosion, for Re-forestration and for the Protection of Natural Habitats, www.tema.org.tr

250 CHILDREN FROM 39 COUNTRIES WILL GATHER IN ANTALYA FOR INTERNATIONAL CHILD TEMA ASSEMBLY

The International Child TEMA Assembly will gather in Antalya on 21st of April 2006 with children coming from 39 different countries. This international assembly is the outcome of the first national assembly organized last year, where Child TEMA invited the world children to fight against the climate change.

The international assembly, that will be organized within the activities realized by TRT each year for the festival of National Independence and Children's Day on 23rd of April through the sponsorship of Koç Group of Companies, will be held by Child TEMA with the participation of 250 children from 39 countries.

First International Child TEMA Assembly aims to discuss global warming, its negative effects and alternative solution suggestions with the children of the world and to share the outputs through a declaration that will be issued at the end of the assembly.

The first Child TEMA National Assembly was held in Ankara, on 25-26th May 2005 and Mrs. Semra Sezer, the wife of Turkish Republic's President honored the assembly. During 1st Child TEMA National Assembly, 160 Child TEMA members declared their solution proposals and urged the national and international decision makers to play their roles in this struggle.