Experts point to the Constitution: Green spaces in Istanbul, Izmir, and Mugla opened for development with Erdogan's signature

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's signature has brought into effect a decision published in the Official Gazette to remove certain areas in Antalya, Balikesir, Istanbul, Izmir, Kutahya, Manisa, Mugla, Mersin, Sivas, Trabzon, and Yozgat from forest boundaries. 

According to the report by Mustafa Cakir from Cumhuriyet, the decision states that the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change (General Directorate of National Property) will allocate immovable properties under the state's jurisdiction or in the Treasury's private ownership—at least twice the size of the areas removed—to the General Directorate of Forestry for the purpose of establishing forests.

"IT TAKES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS FOR TREES TO REACH THE SAME LEVEL"

Speaking about the decision, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ufuk Cosgun, a faculty member at Karabuk University's Faculty of Forestry and a member of the Turkish Forestry Association, pointed out that it takes tens of thousands of years for an area to become a forest ecosystem, stating:

He emphasized that "removing an area from being a forest, except for certain necessities like earthquakes, and providing more land to create forest areas" does not mean that the new area will acquire a forest structure. Cosgun said, "Because there are thousands of life cycles involved there. It takes tens of thousands of years for another place to reach the same level through afforestation. We cannot ensure that a site becomes a forest ecosystem just through afforestation efforts." 

Drawing attention to the additional Article 16 of the Forestry Law, which allows some areas to be removed from forest boundaries, Cosgun noted that there are debates regarding its unconstitutionality. Stating that there are question marks about what kind of utilization constitutes public interest and what does not, Cosgun said: "Our staff working on forestry are not obligated to research whether there is another area that could be used instead when they examine the files before them. There is a gap here. Who will make this decision? Based on what will they decide? These need to be determined. There can be public interest in many things. Which of these public interests takes priority? These need to be evaluated."

WILL IT BE OPENED TO DEVELOPMENT?

It is stated that the total size of the areas removed from forest status with this decision is 1.1 million square meters. Among the areas removed from forest status, the valuable lands in Istanbul stand out. Assessments are being made that some of these areas could be converted into urban reserve areas. 

WHERE ARE THE GREEN SPACES IN THE 11 PROVINCES?

The locations where the areas removed from forest boundaries are found are as follows:

Degirmenlik in Antalya's Akseki; Asmali, Saraylar, Abroz, and Topagac in Balikesir's Marmara; Ayazaga, Uskumrukoy, Kilyos, and Demircikoy in Istanbul's Sariyer; Cemil Meric and Ihlamurkuyu in Umraniye; Basibuyuk in Maltepe; Alemdag, Tasdelen, and Merkez in Cekmekoy; Sigacik in Izmir's Seferihisar; Kurtulus in Aliaga; Igdeli in Kiraz; Gurpinar in Bornova; Gumusyenikoy in Kutahya's Tavsanli; Sofular in Pazarlar; Yeniguney in Gediz; Saglik in Manisa's Salihli; Bagyolu in Yunusemre; Eskin in Selendi; Carikballi in Kula; Yesilyurt and Yerkesik in Mugla's Mentese; Bolacalikoyuncu in Mersin's Silifke; Cobansaray in Sivas's Yildizeli; Kalincam in Trabzon's Tonya; and Gulsehri/Keser in Yozgat's Sorgun.

News Source: 12punto