A Brief History of METU Forest: From a Steppe to an Oasis in Central Anatolia

Today is July 15, 2019. Today marks the 62nd day of Kavaklık Resistance, which the students of Middle East Technical University (METU) have been putting up against the construction of a state dormitory at their campus.

The students call their resistance "Kavaklık", or poplar woods, because the dormitory in question is planned to be constructed on a 40-decare area covered with numerous poplar trees, which means that a considerable number of trees will be cut down to construct the dorm there.

In fact, after the tenure of the area was handed over to the Higher Education Credit and Hostels Institution (KYK) for 49 years, the police intervened against the students on the 55th day of their resistance on July 8. Students and lecturers were forced out of the area, one person was taken into custody during the intervention, to be released later in the day.

On the day of police intervention, some MPs from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) went to the METU campus in support of the students.

At first, it was announced by CHP Ankara MP Gamze Taşcıer that the cutting of trees was halted as a result of negotiations with METU President Verşan Kök; however, shortly after they left the campus, concrete mixers entered the area. At the end of the day, most of the 750 trees planned to be cut down for the state dormitory were not there any longer.

On July 10, CHP MP Taşcıer announced that the METU Administration had a meeting and decided to review the construction plan of the dormitory.

But, what is this resistance all about? Wasn't the METU campus, which is in the middle of a huge forest in Ankara today, constructed by cutting down trees in the first place? The answer to the second question is a big "No". On the contrary, before the campus started to be constructed there, the area in question was nothing more than a vast arid land.

Accordingly, we have compiled a brief history of the METU forest to show how it was turned from a steppe to almost an oasis in around 60 years.

University first located in a small building and barracks

The university was founded in the capital city of Ankara on November 15, 1956 under the name of "Middle East High Technology Institute" affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. [1] It was in 1957, when its name was changed to Middle East Technical University. [2]

When the METU was first established, it provided education in a small building owned by the Social Security Office of Retirees near Kızılay and the barracks behind the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). [3]

In search of a campus area for the newly established university, first, a ground-digging ceremony was held in the Yalıncak Village on October 2, 1957. Nevertheless, for the next four years, it was still not certain where the METU campus would be constructed. It was on April 26, 1961, when the University Board of Overseers agreed on the Lower Balgat near Ankara-Eskişehir Highway, namely where the METU Campus is located today. [4]

The area allocated to the METU to build its campus was a typical Central Anatolian steppe and used to look like this:

* Source: evrimagaci.org

Afforestation of METU campus began in 1961

Accordingly, 1961 marks the year when the afforestation of the new 4,500-hectare METU campus started. On November 15, 1960, the METU Administration and the Directorate General of Forestry initiated a "Mobilization for Afforestation" at METU campus. [5]

* Source: 60yil.metu.edu.tr

On the official YouTube channel of the university, a video entitled "The Tradition of Planting Trees Began at METU 53 Years Ago" shared the following information about this mobilization for afforestation: [6]

"The tradition of planting trees began at METU in 1961. With its millions of trees covering over a 30-decare area, the METU forest is one of the very limited areas in Ankara that could harbor natural life. The Lake Eymir is an indispensable part of this ecosystem and METU nature."

In fact, in concluding the video dated December 4, 2014, the then METU Presidency stated, "We would like you to know that the METU is determined to meticulously protect the Lake Eymir from haphazard settlements, expectations for unearned income and environmental pollution."

33 million trees planted at campus since 1961

On October 1, 1963, the new METU campus was opened to education. In this same year, the Tree Planting Festival started at Lake Eymir. [7] On the website of METU Directorate of Afforestation and Landscaping, the development of METU forest is recounted as follows: [8]

"Since 1961 up until today, around 10 million coniferous trees and 23 million broad-leaved trees resistant to dry weather conditions such as black pines, yellow pines, taurus cedars, oaks, poplars and almond trees have been planted in our campus. The METU forest, which covers around 3,100-hectare area, was declared a Natural and Archeological Protected Area by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Turkey in 1995.

* Source: 60yil.metu.edu.tr

"As a result of years-long meticulous endeavors, an important environment, which harbors flora and fauna facing the danger of extinction in Central Anatolia, has been created. In this natural environment, perfect conditions are offered to a series of wild animals such as wolves, foxes, patridges, rabbits, snakes and tortoises as well as several mammals and reptiles such as over 140 bird species and fish species living in the lakes and ponds."

Underlining that "the METU Campus is the largest green space in Ankara today", the Directorate also informs the public that the METU Afforestation Project was awarded the International Aga Khan Architecture Prize in "innovative concepts" category in 1995 and was deemed worthy of an award by the TEMA Foundation in 2003 "for its support for turning an arid land into a green area and contributing to the struggle against desertification."

In other words, the METU forest has grown with the METU itself and an area which was a vast arid land in 1960 has been turned into the "largest green space of Ankara" in the meanwhile, as the university has also put forward.

* Source: 60yil.metu.edu.tr

3,000 trees cut down for highway in 2013

In fact, the recent attempt to build a state dormitory at METU campus by cutting down trees is not the first external intervention into the university.

At the night of October 18, 2013, heavy construction equipment of Ankara Metropolitan Municipality chaired by the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Melih Gökçek entered the METU campus to construct a linking road between Anatolian Boulevard and Konya Highway.

According to a joint statement by the METU Instructors' Association, METU Alumni Association, METU Assistants' Solidarity, Education Union No. 5 Branch and METU Student Constituents, around 3,000 trees were cut down in the eastern side of the campus at that night. Moreover, the METU students, alumni and faculty members who tried to prevent the cutting of trees were attacked by the police with tear gas and plastic bullets.

In response, on October 21, several people, including METU students, alumni and lecturers gathered at the campus with the slogan "We are planting 5,000 young trees in the way of unearned income; fetch your digging tools and come" and planted trees:

4.5-kilometer road opened in a single night in 2017

Four years later, on September 8, 2017, the METU Presidency and Ankara Metropolitan Municipality agreed on a road to be constructed through the METU campus to get access to the Bilkent City Hospital, which was still under construction at the time.

Accordingly, at the night of September 9, 100 heavy construction equipment and 400 lorries affiliated with the Ankara Municipality entered the METU campus again. At that night, 48-hectare forest area was cut down.

In response, on October 4, the Association for Research on Rural Environment and Forestry Problems filed a criminal complaint against the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality officials and the then Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Melih Gökçek, who reportedly boasted on social media by stating, "We have broken a record by opening a 4.5-kilometer road in a single night".

The Association also filed a complaint against the related officials of the Directorate General of Forestry and current METU President Verşan Kök. (SD)

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Sources:

[1] Orta-Doğu Teknoloji Enstitüsü Açılıyor". Milliyet. Ankara. 15 Kasım 1956. s. 3.
[2] ODTÜ Neden Önemli? Kısa Bir ODTÜ Tarihi ve ODTÜ'nün İlkleri / Çağrı Mert Bakırcı - Evrim Ağacı
[3] Middle East Technical University Official Website - History
[4] ODTÜ Mezunlar Derneği - Bozkırda Doğan Güneş ODTÜ Yerleşkesi
[5] ODTÜ Ağaçlandırma ve Çevre Düzenleme Müdürlüğü - Tarihçe
[6] Middle East Technical University - ODTÜ'de ağaç dikme geleneği 53 yıl önce başladı.
[7] ODTÜ Neden Önemli? Kısa Bir ODTÜ Tarihi ve ODTÜ'nün İlkleri / Çağrı Mert Bakırcı - Evrim Ağacı
[8] ODTÜ Ağaçlandırma ve Çevre Düzenleme Müdürlüğü - Tarihçe