Revive 1000 hectares of the Mugla Sweetgum Forest

As YADA foundation and our project partner Nature Conservation Centre, we have been working on the conservation of 1000 Hectares of the Mugla Sweetgum Forest and this is made possible with your generous support.

During the last months there have been several developments regarding the Sweetgum Forests. Firstly, our advisor for the project, Okan Ürker, has participated in a important meeting in Armenia organized by Rufford SGF and Young Biologists Association (YBA Armenia). Mr. Ürker has presented the status, concerns and activities we are undertaking for Sweetgums in order to increase the profile of our actions and disseminate our experience to a wider community. The participants of the meeting agree to initiate the Borderless Conservation Network in order to maximize conservation efforts in the region. Some photos from the meeting are attached to the report.

Although we have been working in the Köycegiz region for sweetgums, where the species has its highest distribution, sweetgums are also present in other parts of the Mugla province. Our partner Nature Conservation Centre has been granted by GEF Small Grants Program to undertake research and conservation actions towards sweetgums in these regions. This new project is starting in November 2012 and will last 12 months. With this project we will have the opportunity to work on protecting the sweetgums in a broader region and with a broader approach. This new project will ensure the integrity of our actions for conservation.

We are thankful for your generous donation to our project to conserve the sweetgum forests in Turkey.

Thank you.