Reforestation Effort: 5.35 Million Saplings to Rejuvenate Fire-Damaged Areas
The General Directorate of Forestry is taking action to repair the damage caused by forest fires in Bolu’s Göynük and Gerede districts. According to officials, afforestation efforts are underway in the areas affected by the fires in August 2024.
The Bolu Forest Regional Directorate teams have been working tirelessly to address the aftermath of the fires. In Göynük’s Bekirfakılar village, a fire that started on August 15, 2024, was extinguished within 72 hours, but not before causing damage to 3,315 hectares of forest land. The teams have completed damage assessment and have already begun afforestation efforts on an 8-hectare area by removing burnt trees.
In addition, larch seeds have been planted on approximately 100 hectares of land in preparation for further afforestation. By the autumn planting season, a total of 1,000 hectares of land will be processed for planting seedlings to restore the forest ecosystem.
The General Directorate of Forestry has ambitious plans to afforest a total of 3,315 hectares of fire-damaged land. This will involve planting 4.9 million saplings as part of ongoing afforestation efforts scheduled for spring and autumn sewing in 2026.
Furthermore, in the neighboring district of Gerede, forest restoration efforts are also underway. A fire affecting the area was quickly extinguished, but it caused damage to 844 hectares of forest land. Afforestation plans are in place to plant 450 thousand saplings in the region to help restore the damaged ecosystem.
Overall, the General Directorate of Forestry is committed to restoring these forest areas and ensuring the sustainability of Turkey’s natural landscapes. Through these afforestation efforts, the hope is to rejuvenate the forests and prevent future devastation from forest fires.
