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Harvest time in Turkey’s ‘river of lavenders’
Harvest time in Turkey’s ‘river of lavenders’
Locals in the southern Turkish province of Burdur have started harvesting “a river of lavenders” as part of a pioneering wildlife protection project. Click through for the story in photos...
Taking its name from one of the significant cities in the area in the ancient era, the Lisinia Wildlife Protection and Rehabilitation Center planted lavenders in a 1,500-decare area three years ago.
The aim of the project was to encourage the farming of plants that do not need much water in order to save the nearby Burdur Lake, which faced a risk of drying.
Öztürk Sarıca, a vet and the founder of the Lisinia Wildlife Protection and Rehabilitation Center, told local Turkish media on July 9 that beside the 1,500 decares for a “river of lavenders,” locals were also sowing other plants that thrive with little water into a total of 2,300 decares.
“We are also growing thyme, sage and melissa species. We let the rivers flow as they are while switching to ‘dry farming.’ Our lavender gardens also attract visitors and boost eco-tourism,” Sarıca said.
Local officials participated in the first harvest on July 8 at Lisinia’s lavenders river. Governor Hasan Şıldak told journalists that the state will continue to incentivize cultivation of medical aromatic plants.
Lisinia, which is Turkey’s first wildlife rehabilitation center, also took part in efforts to help and treat injured animals before releasing them back into the wild.
Photos: Demirören News Agency
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