Erdoğan vows to protect forests of 'green homeland’

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pledged to continue protecting Türkiye's forests, describing them as a vital "green homeland" and a matter of national security.

"We have taken historic steps in the protection of the environment and nature. We have worked hard to protect nature and hand it over to our children in the most beautiful way," Erdoğan said an event in Ankara on June 2.

He said Türkiye's forests now cover 23.4 million hectares, around 30 percent of the country’s land area.

"We will continue to work with determination for our green homeland, which we see as a matter of national security, and to protect and develop our forest assets in the strongest way possible. We will work relentlessly to protect our trees, keep our forests alive and leave a breathing Türkiye for future generations," Erdoğan said.

"We have taken decisions to enrich the green homeland in all its aspects and our Agriculture and Forestry Ministry will turn these into an action plan."

Erdoğan called forests "one of our greatest riches," but warned they face increasing threats from rising temperatures and droughts.

"We are now fighting more destructive wildfires. These fires also destroy settlements. They cause economic losses, longer-term damage and impacts," he said.

Rejecting accusations that burned forest areas were being repurposed for construction or other developments, Erdoğan dismissed such claims as disinformation."

"A significant part of these are smear campaigns by attributing the crooked, invasive and ugly construction projects of opposition municipalities to our forestry works,” he said.

The president claimed progress made over the past two decades in combating wildfires, citing an inventory of 27 airplanes and 105 helicopters dedicated to firefighting efforts.

He said 4,296 fire ponds and pools have been built to facilitate faster water access for aircraft, and 8,500 personnel have been recruited to forestry services.

Erdoğan criticized municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for "prioritizing spending on advertisements and concerts" instead of forest fire prevention.

"It is imperative that the resources created by the taxes paid by our nation’s children should be spent effectively and efficiently, not arbitrarily," he said. "I believe it is necessary for all our municipalities to act with this sensitivity."

The president also highlighted government support for forest villages, which he said promotes regional development. He said 285,000 families living in these areas received loans and grants totaling 35 billion Turkish Liras ($893 million) during the current administration.