An Eco-Kit to Prevent Forest Fires: Local Knowledge and Practices of Protecting Natural Forests and Fighting Forest Fires in the Köyceğiz-Gökova Line

An Eco-Kit for Preventing Forest Fires is a project that focuses on the preparation of an easily accessible eco-kit containing local information on nature conservation, especially forest fire prevention. Eco-kits are simple-to-use, guiding toolkits developed primarily to persuade people to take a proactive stance on preventing environmental impact (cf. Jansen and Vercestren, 2001). The outcome of this project will be a usable, easily accessible toolkit containing information that supports the protection of forests and nature, the prevention of fires and the minimization of possible fire impacts. This toolkit will include tips that are particularly applicable to everyday life.

The project focuses on natural and old red pine (Pinus brutia), cedar (Cedrus libani) (at higher altitudes), sweet gum (Liquidambar Orientalis Mill.) (at the base), eucalyptus (Myrtacae) forests that were not damaged by the major forest fires after 2010, within the borders of the villages (neighborhoods) on the Köyceğiz - Gökova line. In addition, in terms of geographical interconnectedness, the project region is in vital ties with two sensitive, unique and important natural areas of Turkey, Köyceğiz Lake and Sandras Mountain. (For detailed information, see https://www.dogadernegi.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/akd001-sandras-dagi-onemli-doga-alanlari-kitabi.pdf and https://www.dogadernegi.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/akd002-koycegiz-golu-onemli-doga-alanlari-kitabi.pdf )

In addition, as forest engineer Rasim Çetiner points out, Sandras Mountain is of great importance as it is the best example of serpentine flora specific to high altitudes in the region. For this reason, Sandras is one of the regions in Turkey that needs urgent protection. For this reason, “Sandras is one of the areas in Turkey that needs urgent protection. Sandras Mountain contains a rich flora with approximately 750 taxa recorded, 81 of which are endemic to Turkey. The fact that black pine forms pure stands in the field and that there are old and tall individuals among them that have monumental tree characteristics shows a rare forest ecosystem feature.”

(https://www.atlasdergisi.com/dergide-bu-ay/sandras-dagi-mugla-denizli-erenler-dorugu.html )

The “An Eco-Kit to Prevent Forest Fires” project focuses on the ancient knowledge, experiences, and experiences that the villagers of the region have developed over many years and have passed down from generation to generation through local culture. The information that the villagers have is extremely valuable in terms of sustainability. When bridges are built between technical/scientific knowledge and local volunteers, NGOs, OGM and migrants who came to the region after COVID-19, it will make a valuable contribution to preventing forest fires, reducing the destructive effects of fires and combating forest fires. The project aims to do this through an eco-kit that will be shared on social media, e-map-guide and printed map-guide.

You can visit https://www.turkiyenincani.org/ to get detailed information about Turkey's Canı Küçük Support Program, which is carried out by WWF-Turkey (World Wildlife Fund) to support local non-governmental organizations' biodiversity conservation initiatives.