Over 30 threatening, destructive factors detected in Northern Forests

* Photo: Northern Forests Defense

Click to read the article in Turkish

The Northern Forests Research Association has released its "Report on Threats and Destructions in Northern Forests", documenting the factors of threat and destruction targeting the Northern Forests as well as the damages inflicted by them on the forest ecosystem.

The report of the Association has underlined that all areas in the geography of the Northern Forests, without exception, are under the occupation of internationally financed/ partnered companies:

"While the Northern Forests have been the only source of water, breath and life for dozens of cities, towns and villages, especially for İstanbul, their limited resources are quickly depleted by the unearned income-oriented neoliberal production and urban growth policies.

"All areas, all sub-ecosystems, all Key Biodiversity Areas of the geography of Northern Forests, without any exception, are under the occupation and destruction of internationally funded/ partnered companies, especially construction, energy, mining and forest industries."

Factors destroying, threatening the region

The report has raised concerns that there are over 30 factors of destruction in the Northern Forests area and offered the following list:

• Mega Unearned Income Projects (3rd Bridge and North Marmara Highway, 3rd Airport and complementary transportation projects (Metro line etc.), Canal Istanbul, Çanakkale Bridge, Osmangazi Bridge and Gebze-Orhangazi-İzmir Highway)
• Power Plants (Thermal Power Plants, Nuclear Power Plants, Wind Power Plants (WPP), Geothermal Power Plants (GPP), Hydroelectric Power Plants (HES)
• Dams
• Mining Activities
• Industrial Activities
• Garbage Facilities, Excavation Dump Sites
• Coastal and Marine Destruction
• Forest Fires
• Tourism Activities
• Water Companies
• Law and Regulation Amendments
• Hunting Activities and Wildlife Destruction
• Construction and Construction Activities
• Opening of Agricultural Areas to Construction
• Infrastructure Activities
• Russian Natural Gas Line Project 'Turkish Stream'
• Forest Industry
• Climate Crisis
• Plucked Forest Areas – Habitat Loss/ Fragmentation
• Stray Animals Abandonment
• Treasure Hunting
• Mega Projects

The report has underlined that shortly after the onset of the construction of the 3rd Bosphorus Bridge and the 3rd Airport in İstanbul, both of which were presented as projects of transportation, 8 thousand 500 hectares of forestland have been destroyed.

The report has also stressed that with the North Marmara Highway, the prices of the surrounding estates have started to increase.

Underlining that "the projects of unearned income that were launched in Zekeriyaköy, Çekmeköy and Göktürk, which had already been filled with villas and residence projects, have caused a mounting pressure of construction on the villages of the Northern Forests."

'Turkish Stream' project

The Northern Forests Research Association has also elaborated on the "Turkish Stream Natural Gas Pipeline Project" as well as its destruction:

"The preparations for the Turkish Stream natural gas project, from which Russia will make a profit of 750 million dollars a year, started in 2014. In order to carry the Russian gas to Europe, the Thracian Northern Forests have been destroyed for the natural gas pipeline which is to be laid through the Northern Forests, where the water sources of İstanbul are accumulated.

Tens of thousands of trees have been cut down for the waterline of the project while the works for the landline have caused great destruction in the Istranca Forests. 65 hectares of forests and thousands of trees have been destroyed along a line of 40 kilometres, 13 kilometers of which are forestlands. The forest ecosystem has been disturbed and agricultural fields and water sources have been considerably damaged.

Abandonment of animals, industrial activities

Another significant point made by the report is the abandonment of stray animals in the Northern Forests. The report has noted that the projects with an expansionist view of the city has done away with the natural life as well as the respect for animals' living space.

Elaborating on the industrial activities in the region as well, the report has indicated that several plains, valleys and stream beds in the south of the Northern Forests have been filled with industrial facilities, especially in the northern Marmara cities which have been growing excessively and without a plan, as is the case in the cities of Kocaeli and İstanbul. (TP/SD)

Click here to read the full report (in Turkish)