With this program we launched to protect the fertility of our soil, reduce the wastes and neutralize our carbon footprint by 2050 in Avcilar, we turn organic fruit and vegetable wastes we collect from marketplaces into compost in our Waste Collection Centers, increasing the fertility of our soil and reducing the need for herbicide and pesticide use.
We also recycle the tree pruning wastes and mowed weeds in our district as fertilizer and park material.
Our “SAVING THE OLIVE TREES OF THE MOUNT IDA” project which is a natural rescue program led by Turan Hançerli, Mayor of Avcilar, aims at saving the hundreds-of-years-old olive trees facing the threat of destruction due to the construction of the two tunnels near the Ayvacik-Kucukkuyu part of the road that connects Çanakkale to Izmir and Balikesir. Turan Hançerli, Mayor of Avcilar, took action to save the olive trees together with Cengiz Balkan, Mayor of Kucukkuyu, ensuring that the trees at risk of being crushed under tons of excavation wastes were transferred to Avcilar. Today, saved trees continue to live as oxygen sources of Istanbul both in Avcilar and in neighboring districts where they have been given as gifts.
The ages of these trees, delicately loaded to lorries in Kucukkuyu by Avcilar Municipality Parks and Gardens Directorate teams to be taken and planted to several points at Avcilar, vary from 100 to 500.
Avcilar Municipality continuously works together with relevant institutions and CSOs to protect the soil, air and water of Avcilar and increase the area of green space in the city. One of the most striking examples of the efforts paid in this regard is the “Forest of Hope”, created for nature education in schools and marrying couples in our district in accordance with the collaboration protocol signed between TEMA (Turkish Association of Afforestation, Protection of Natural Assets and Fight Against Erosion) and Avcilar Municipality within the scope of the municipality’s sustainable environment program.
Every marriage license signed by couples in Avcilar becomes a “Breath for Future” in our Forest of Hope with the saplings we donate for them.
We activated the Youth Council under Avcilar’s City Council to give the young people between the ages of 15 and 22 in Avcilar, who requested to fight against environmental injustice, a platform where they can share their unique points of view with adults in the municipal council. We support the Youth Council that includes young environmental pioneers from Avcilar for creating awareness-raising projects towards adaptation to climate change and reaching to promised levels.
Turan Hançerli, Mayor of Avcilar, also decided to organize a climate festival in Avcilar every year starting with 2022 in order to draw attention to the climate crysis, raise awareness and reinforce the young people’s participation. While providing a venue of entertainment to young people, the festival will also serve the purpose of raising awareness about climate crisis with the forums, workshops and other events held by experts in the issue.
A solution we proposed to prevent the effects of climate change as global warming intensifies today is the xerophytic landscape approach that aims the efficient use of water.
Within the framework of this approach we reduced the seasonal flower use in the choice of appropriate plants due to ecological concerns. As a result of the studies conducted by our experts we concluded that the use of trailing and permanent plants for landscape arrangements is more appropriate because they ensure higher amounts of water savings and are more resistant against drought and started our operations in accordance with these conclusions.
This model we implement allows us to plan and practice our water use more efficiently, which helps us create sustainable landscapes and reduce the negative effects of droughts. To protect our water resources and use them efficiently, we have stopped the wild flooding implementations in our parks and gardens and instead set up an automatic irrigation system which enabled us to save up to 60% of water.