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| News from the Campaign | |
Billion Tree Campaign in Turkey |
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 The most important challenge of the today’s world is to establish a system which meets both basic needs of the people and ensures sustainable management of natural resources. While forests were considered as tree groups and managed mainly for wood production in the past, other functions of them has gradually become apparent in parallel with increases in environment and pollution problems. As result of this trend, besides industrial plantations, afforestations with the purposes of soil and water conservation, carbon storage, recreation, and green belt establishment around urban areas have gradually gained importance during the recent decades. 27 percent of Turkey’s territory is covered with forests. However, about 50 percent of the forest areas is degraded and does not function properly. For this reason, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has launched national mobilization campaign in order to rehabilitate degraded forests and increase the forest cover to 30 percent of the total land of the country. While ten years average of afforestation achievements of the ministry was 75.000 hectares before 2002, annual achievements have risen to 117.000 hectares in 2003, 165.000 hectares in 2004, 178.000 hectares in 2005, and 401.000 hectares in 2006. The ministry’s program for 2007 is to carry out 400.000 hectares of afforestation, erosion control, range improvement and rehabilitation works.  Turkey will support UNEP’s Bilion Tree Campaign and will plant 200 million trees in the each province at 2007. With the afforestation activities of the ministry together with other public institutions, military groups, village legal entities, municipalities, universities, voluntary organizations, and real persons, we came close to an ideal Turkey with clean air and green environment.Seedling production is done in 108 forest nurseries, which are established on 3209 hectare land in 62 provinces, taking into account seven geographical regions of the country, afforestation potential and ecological conditions, and which have a 460 million annual seedling production capacity. Seedling of more than 400 species including forest trees, ornamental plants, bushes and herbaceous plants are produced in the forest nurseries. The number of seedlings that have been planted in 2005 and 2006 is 250 million and 350 million respectively; the program for the year 2007 is to plant about 400 million seedlings. Turkish Republic of Ministry of Environment and Forestry encourages any kind of activities about afforestation, erosion control, land rehabilitation etc. Forest and tree love of the public is increasing as a result of campaigns organized by the ministry. The most effective way to combat with climate change, desertification and global warming is to plant seedling. In order to increase public awareness and sensitivity about the issue, several campaigns are organized by the ministry to distribute seedlings to military groups, municipalities, village communities, schools, public institutions and the public in general. Annual average number of seedling distributed is around 30-40 millions 15 million seedlings for 15 million students  Under the protocol signed with the Ministry of National Education in 2003, “15 million seedlings for 15 million students” campaign has been organized and seedlings have been planted in all provinces since 2003. Cooperation with the institutions Between 2003 – 2006 years, 14 protocols were signed with several institutions including Turkish Grand National Assembly, Turkish Army, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Presidency of Religious Affairs, General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works, General Directorate of Rural Affairs, Governorships, TEMA foundation etc. Each year, 15 million seedlings are allocated to these institutions from forest nurseries. The ministry is establishing “friendship forests” in sister countries “Haydar ALIYEV Forest” has been established in Batikent-Ankara on 75 hectare land by planting 81.000 seedlings, at the memory of Haydar ALIYEV, former president of Azerbaijan Republic. “Turkey-Turkmenistan Friendship Forest”, which was established on 500 hectare land in Askabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, has been opened with a ceremony attended by our minister. All 187.000 seedlings that planted into friendship forest were sent to Turkmenistan from Turkey. 10,000 seedlings have been sent to Afghanistan in cooperation with General Staff to establish Turkish-Afghan Friendship Forest. Implementation projects have been prepared and put into implementation in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan for transferring experiences and know-how in the field of afforestation, erosion control and seedling production Seedling production is gradually increasing In 2006, 35 million seedlings were distributed to the public institutions, military groups, municipalities and village communities. Being aware their responsibilities against the world, newly married couples distribute engagement seedling to the invited gests during the wedding ceremonies. Great Progress In Afforestation We have been promoted into premier league of afforestation by entering among the first ten countries in the world. According to FAO reports, Turkey is among the first ten countries which achieve the highest level of afforestation at the global level. According to FAO reports, Turkey is among the few countries that increase forest areas. Record In Combating With Erosion  Erosion control activities were carried out on 58,542-hectare land in 2006. From beginning to at the end of 2006, erosion control activities were reached to 652.508 hectares. For last four years, 182.265 hectare erosion control activities were carried out, which corresponds 28 % of the total erosion control activities carried out from the beginning. Record In Private Afforestation Great success in transition from state forestry into people’s forestry: In parallel with the project “transition from state forestry to people’s forestry”, private afforestation activities have been increased as much as 5.5 times from 2.000 hectares to 11.000 hectares. It is planned to reach 11500 hectares in the year 2007. With this believe and desire, I declare that Turkey will not become desert and face of Turkey will change with the each seedling planted. |
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