Children participate in a tug-of-war competiton during a sunny outdoor event at a nature camp coordinated by the DKMP.
Around 10,000 families applied to join nature camps held simultaneously across 81 provinces, Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı said during an event in the capital Ankara.
Yumaklı attended the family camp coordinated by the Nature Conservation and National Parks General Directorate (DKMP) at Sorgun Nature Park, releasing treated birds into the wild with children and joining a tug-of-war competition.
Authorities increased the number of national parks fourfold to 696 over the past 24 years while establishing 47 ecotourism routes, Yumaklı said. These sites include natural reserves and historic areas.
“We started our family camp event simultaneously in 81 provinces,” he said. “Interest was high last year. Since we announced it this year, 10,000 families applied and participated.”
Applications continue to rise, bringing about 40,000 people closer to nature, assuming four individuals per family, he said.
The organization aims to instill environmental awareness in children, countering the disadvantages of technology keeping them indoors.
“You cannot give proper value to something you do not know,” he said. “It is impossible to teach this only through books.”
He thanked the Education Ministry for its efforts to build national and spiritual consciousness in youth.
Calling the camp a comprehensive organization, Yumaklı urged families to experience environments free of screens where children physically interact with nature.
He commended the Family and Social Services Ministry for its work ensuring family continuity, pledging continued support before conversing with children at the campsite.
State agencies regularly organize outdoor recreation programs to diversify domestic tourism options. Ministries collaborate on nationwide campaigns aiming to increase youth engagement with protected natural areas.
