Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated that they are making great efforts to protect and sustain wetlands, which are of great importance in terms of activities such as ensuring water supply, agricultural production and tourism, and said, “A total of 59 wetlands, including 58 wetlands of national importance and 1 wetlands of local importance, totaling 186 million 466 thousand 131 hectares in our country, have been declared and taken under protection, together with the Ramsar Areas.”
In his written statement on February 2, “World Wetlands Day,” Minister Yumaklı emphasized that wetlands, which are the most biologically productive ecosystems after rainforests, are of great importance in maintaining ecological balance and preserving biodiversity, and also contribute greatly to the regional and national economy.
Yumaklı stated that wetlands undertake functions such as providing drinking water, flood control, feeding groundwater, sediment and nutrient storage, controlling climate change, natural purification, agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, reed cutting, tourism, cultural use and recreational areas, and in this respect, he drew attention to the fact that the protection and development of wetlands is one of their most important responsibilities.
Reminding that Turkey, which joined the Convention on the Protection of Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) in 1994, has included 30 wetlands (Sultan Marshes, Lake Seyfe, Lake Burdur, Lake Manyas (Kuş) and Göksu Delta, Akyatan Lagoon, Kızılırmak Delta, Lake Uluabat and Gediz Delta, Yumurtalık Lagoon, Lake Meke, Kızören Sinkhole, Lake Kuyucuk and Nemrut Caldera) with a total area of 184 thousand 487 hectares in the convention list as Ramsar Sites in a 14-year period, Yumaklı underlined that intensive work is being carried out for the protection of wetlands.
Minister Yumaklı provided the following information regarding the activities carried out: “In our country, within the framework of the legislative revision made in 2002, filling and drying of wetlands was prohibited by Article 2872 (e) of the Environmental Law No. 9. The Regulation on the Protection of Wetlands, which entered into force in the same year, determined the principles of protection and use of wetlands, determination and application principles of protection zones, declaration process of Ramsar Areas and the duties and working procedures of the National Wetland Commission. The National Wetland Commission, established with the Regulation, was the first commission in our country consisting of relevant institutions under the title of both wetlands and nature protection. In this context, a total of 59 wetlands, including 58 Wetlands of National Importance and 1 Wetlands of Local Importance, totaling 186 million 466 thousand 131 hectares in our country, were declared and taken under protection together with the Ramsar Areas.”
NATIONAL WETLAND MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
Yumaklı, who stated that the work carried out by the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks (DKMP) within the Ministry to create a national wetland inventory of Turkey is nearing completion, said, “With the National Wetland Management Information System established by our DKMP General Directorate, all our wetlands are recorded. To date, we have recorded 1,6 wetlands with a total area of 6 million hectares in the system. With the system we call SAYBİS, information on all the wetlands recorded in our country is collected here and presented to our people. On the other hand, our management information system not only includes an inventory, but also permits for wetland activities granted in wetlands with status are carried out through the system. Our people can easily make applications regarding wetlands via e-Government.”
Minister Yumaklı stated that Wetland Management Plans have been prepared since 1999 within the scope of the "rational use of wetlands" principle of the Ramsar Convention, and that the general protection and use principles of the wetland were determined with the management plan, which is a kind of constitution of the relevant area, and that a total of 26 wetland management plans were prepared and put into practice in 76 years.
REHABILITATION STUDIES
Yumaklı, who underlined that they also carried out activities for the rehabilitation of deteriorated wetlands, said, “Kayseri Sultan Marshes, Antalya Avlan Lake, Konya Ereğli Marshes and Afyonkarahisar Karakuyu Marshes are some of the areas where rehabilitation works are carried out. Rehabilitation works have started in Düzce Efteni Lake in 2024 and will be completed by the end of this year. Following the completion of rehabilitation works, the size of Efteni Lake is planned to increase from 180 hectares to approximately 360 hectares.”
Minister Yumaklı emphasized that visitor centers were built in wetlands in order to support ecotourism, provide open-air laboratories for researchers and further stimulate the local economy, and said, “Within this scope, with the facilities built in 2002 wetlands since 55, these areas have been transformed into ecotourism centers that our people can benefit from.”
Reminding that February 2, the day the Ramsar Convention was opened for signature, was celebrated as “World Wetlands Day” in order to raise public awareness on the importance, protection and rational use of wetlands, Yumaklı noted the following:
“Within the scope of the events where a function of wetlands is used as a theme every year, the theme of World Wetlands Day in 2025 has been determined as ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’ and the slogan as ‘Value, Protect, Encourage’. As the Ministry, we will continue our efforts to protect and sustainably use not only our wetlands but also our country’s natural values such as our forests and rivers, as we have done so far. I would like to thank all public institutions and organizations, non-governmental organizations and our people who have contributed to us during the execution of these activities, and I call on citizens from all walks of life to show the necessary sensitivity in protecting our wetlands and carrying them into the future.”
