DoğaBel
National Society for The Conservation and Documentation of Nature

As is the case in many other BTC Pipeline areas as well, the biggest threats that our nature and biodiversity reserves are faced with mainly stem from the current means the natural resources are utilized. The utilization of the natural sources in a way not taking into account the future and against the exploitation-conservation balance lead to destruction of our natural resources and biological diversity.

Again as is the case in many other BTC Pipeline areas as well, the conditions of the natural environment have influenced a great deal of the general economic practices in these areas. However, the very fundamental rule for the utilization of potential natural resources constitutes the utilization of these resources compatible with the functions of the ecological system they belong to, and also through conserving the biological diversity and protecting the natural environment.

The utilization of the natural resources by the local people, trade organizations and other various institutions can lead to a positive relationship between the human beings and the environment. Nevertheless, this possibility, which would also lead to a balance between conservation and exploitation, and thus to the protection of the ecological systems and biological diversity, is generally overlooked and lost. Unfortunately, the majority of the interest groups that make use of these natural resources are unaware that the existing methods and activities do actually harm the ecological system and biological diversity and would lead to the extinction of these sources in the near future.

The above reasons require the awareness raising materials be utilized in the BTC Pipeline route priority areas. These materials include programs introducing the biological diversity and the advantageous and disadvantageous methods of the utilization of natural resources.

This project, which involves the production of the awareness raising materials regarding the biological diversity and natural resources throughout the BTC Pipeline route will be carried out by the National Society for The Conservation and Documentation of Nature (DoğaBel).

DoğaBel aims at contributing the conservation of the Key Biodiversity Areas of Turkey and the biological diversity they support, improvement of the existing conditions, and maintaining their potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations.

DoğaBel, who also has collaboration and information sharing networks with the other Environmental Investment Program projects funded by BTC Pipeline Company, is working together with the Landscape Architecture Department of Faculty of Agriculture in the University of Çukurova during this project.

The Project aims at production of effective awareness raising materials for the economic utilization of the nature resources compatible with nature conservation and thus biological diversity protection.

Yumurtalık (Yumurtalik Ecological System Nature Conservation Area, Sugözü and Küçük Yumurtalık / Adana)

Hafik Zara Hills Lake Ecosystem (Hafik and Tödürge Lakes / Sivas)

During the Project, a booklet, a calendar, a web site and two different documentary films about the Yumurtalık Coastal Ecosystem and wetland ecosystems will be produced and presented to the utilization of the related interest groups.

The awareness raising materials will be produced by the collaborative work between the key interest groups and the users of the natural resources, and the groups that carry out workshops and education activities in the area.