Hope Returns to the Kaz Mountains: A Forest Reborn

After years of effort, 1.2 million new saplings have taken root across damaged areas of Türkiye's Kaz Mountains. Local communities and volunteers are at the heart of the ecosystem's revival.

The restoration program, launched in 2019, combined indigenous knowledge with modern silviculture. Drone surveys mapped fire-scarred slopes, and seedlings were chosen to match each elevation band.

Wildlife is returning faster than expected: red deer were photographed in zones empty for two decades, and a new population of endemic butterflies has been documented near Mount Ida's eastern flank.

Researchers at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University estimate the reforested area will sequester roughly 18,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually once mature — equivalent to taking 4,000 cars off the road every year.

The project will continue through 2030, with new partnerships planned for the Mediterranean basin. Atmoswire will keep following the story.