İHA Photo
Heather plants growing naturally in the Latmos (Beşparmak) Mountains, which stretch across the Aegean provinces of Aydın and Muğla, play an important role in maintaining the ecosystem and supporting traditional livelihoods, according to local conservationists.
Bahattin Sürücü, head of the Association for the Protection of Ecosystems and Nature Lovers (EKODOSD), said areas covered with heather were not barren or unproductive land, but important habitats supporting a wide range of wildlife and human activities, including beekeeping and livestock farming.
Known locally as funda, püren and broom shrubs, the plants add pink and purple hues to the landscape among Latmos’ natural stone pine forests. Heather species that bloom particularly in autumn provide honeybees with an important source of nectar and pollen when fewer other plants are flowering.
Honey produced mainly from heather nectar is known for its dark color and distinctive, strong aroma, making the plants an important part of the region’s beekeeping activities.
EKODOSD scientific adviser Professor Ali Çelik said the genus Erica, belonging to the Ericaceae family, comprises more than 700 species worldwide, mainly found in South Africa, the Mediterranean and Western Europe. Five taxa grow naturally in Türkiye, one of which is endemic to the country.
Çelik said autumn-flowering species were particularly valuable because they helped honeybee colonies maintain their food supply when other sources became scarce, contributing to their health and survival through winter.
He warned that climate change and the destruction of natural habitats could disrupt ecological balances, reduce food sources for bees and negatively affect colony health as well as the quantity and quality of honey production.
Sürücü also highlighted the region’s long history of beekeeping, noting that honey production and trade were important to the economy of ancient Caria. Historical records indicate that honey was sent to Egypt from ancient settlements including Heracleia under Latmos, Pidasa and Theangela.
Bee shelters, locally known as “kovanlık,” can still be found on massive rocks throughout the mountains, reflecting the area’s beekeeping traditions dating back thousands of years.
He said heather-covered maquis areas also serve as grazing grounds for goats and provide habitats for wildlife, linking beekeeping, livestock farming, biodiversity and traditional local livelihoods.
Warning that olive groves, stone pine forests, natural vegetation and cultural heritage sites in Latmos are facing increasing pressure, Sürücü said the destruction of heather habitats would affect not only plant life but also bee food sources, grazing areas and traditional production practices.
He called for the region’s natural, archaeological, geological and cultural assets to be protected together under a comprehensive conservation framework.
