During the forest fires that occurred along Türkiye’s South Aegean coasts, we provided support to the firefighting efforts through the contributions of volunteers and donors. As part of our Marine Conservation System implemented in the region, our Marine Rangers conducted coordinated work with the teams responsible for extinguishing the fires and evacuating people from the area.
During the forest fires, the ecosystems of the region suffered significant damage, highlighting the need for serious efforts in rehabilitating the affected areas. In this regard, we have initiated monitoring studies in collaboration with our international partners to assess the effects of ash reaching the seas through the first rains after the wildfires with regards to ocean acidification. In 2022, we hosted Dr. Simone Farina from the Genoa Marine Centre (GMC) Institute at the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn–National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, as well as Laura Tamburello and Federica Ragazoola from the Napoli Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Institute. They shared the data and methodologies from their research project investigating the effects of the 2021 wildfire in Sardinia, and we collaborated on a joint study to investigate the impact of the 2021 fire in the Gulf of Gökova on marine environments in the Göcek and Gökova Bay areas. The monitoring activities, which lasted for a total of 6 days, included SCUBA diving and snorkelling. As a result of these efforts, we developed a common methodology for the monitoring studies in Sardinia and Gökova, and prepared a joint work schedule for the monitoring activities. We will commence the monitoring study in May 2023 and continue it for one year.