Villages in Çanakkale Strengthened Against Forest Fires
· Google Haberler
As part of an internationally supported project launched in Çanakkale, forest villages are being equipped with fire-fighting equipment, and a digital early warning network is being established among cooperatives.
Fire Awareness Initiative in Çanakkale
A comprehensive awareness meeting was held in the meeting hall of the Çanakkale Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry to increase public awareness against forest fires. The meeting was attended by Tar-Koop Chairman Mehmet Özkurnaz, Işıklar Village Headman Ali Alp, Gelibolu Tayfur Village Headman Erdal Orakçı, and Kızılcaören Village Headman Vahit Yavaş.
Birbey Kılınçcı, Project and Field Operations Director at İhtiyaç Haritası, explained the purpose of the meeting with the following words:
"Today, we will organize an awareness training on forest fires in Çanakkale. We will give a presentation in the meeting hall of the Çanakkale Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry to raise awareness about forest fires both domestically and internationally. We will discuss what can be done to prevent forest fires in our country, simple measures that can be taken, and especially the precautions that should be taken in villages."
International Support and Institutional Cooperation
At the meeting, the institutional partners of the project, which aims to minimize fire risks and implement applicable measures in rural areas, were introduced. Birbey Kılınçcı, Project and Field Operations Director at İhtiyaç Haritası, stated that the work is being carried out in partnership with ORKÖY, İhtiyaç Haritası, and the Australian Embassy, and continued his words as follows:
"The Australian Embassy in Ankara is the main supporter of the project. As you know, Australia has a special bond with Çanakkale and has a consulate here. Therefore, they attach great importance to Çanakkale; this is the main reason why we are starting the project from here."
Within the scope of the program, participants' questions about local issues were answered, and potential risks were discussed in detail.
Equipment Support for Forest Villages
Ünal Örnek, Project Coordinator of the Turkish Forestry Cooperatives (OR-KOOP), stated that the project is a pilot step against fire risks in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions. Stating that they aim to strengthen the infrastructure of forest villages, Ünal Örnek, Project Coordinator of the Turkish Forestry Cooperatives (OR-KOOP), shared their goals with the following words:
"Our main goal here is; as you know, our General Directorate of Forestry under the roof of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is already carrying out comprehensive work in this field. We, as cooperatives, want to support their struggle. In this project, carried out with the logic of making the forest villages where our members live resilient against fires, we provide support to İhtiyaç Haritası. Our aim is to strengthen the infrastructure of our villages, which are insufficient in terms of equipment during forest fires, and to eliminate their tool and equipment deficiencies."
Ünal Örnek, Project Coordinator of the Turkish Forestry Cooperatives (OR-KOOP), also made the following statement about the future of the project:
"In the coming stages, we aim to expand the project to create fire-resilient villages in the Mediterranean region, increase social awareness, and provide a strong support infrastructure for our firefighting teams through the villages."
Natural Cleaning Role of Goat Grazing
The critical importance of livestock activities in controlling forest undergrowth and reducing fire risk was mentioned. Ünal Örnek, Project Coordinator of the Turkish Forestry Cooperatives (OR-KOOP), made the following statements on the subject:
"Goats provide natural cleaning by eating the flammable materials on the forest floor that can prepare the ground for fire. The risk of fire increases in neglected forests."
Experts emphasized that the paths cleared by goats form fire safety strips and that shepherds in the region are the first observers who can prevent the spread of flames, and underlined that the forest-livestock balance needs to be re-planned.
Digital Networks and Early Warning
Highlighting the vital importance of rapid communication and early intervention in firefighting, Ünal Örnek, Project Coordinator of the Turkish Forestry Cooperatives (OR-KOOP), stated that smartphone technologies will be utilized. Ünal Örnek, Project Coordinator of the Turkish Forestry Cooperatives (OR-KOOP), made the following assessment regarding the network structure:
"We also emphasize the importance of digital communication in the training we organize. Our goal as OR-KOOP is to support our Forest Directorate by establishing a digital communication network among our village and forest cooperatives."
Drawing attention to the coordination between state institutions and local people, Ünal Örnek, Project Coordinator of the Turkish Forestry Cooperatives (OR-KOOP), emphasized the importance of solidarity:
"Since the forests belong to the state, the General Directorate of Forestry is our flagship in this process, and we work in cooperation."