How was 2024 for Doga?

We’ve made another tour around the sun, our one and only star. While we were fighting for life on our small world, our star kept on its path.

This year, we chased hope like we’ve never done before. Sometimes, hope was like a massless photon particle – it passed us by in a flash. Sometimes, it bloomed flowers on our faces like spring.

Even in the face of loss, Anatolia did not lose hope. From Mount Ida to Lake Marmara, from Artvin to Kırşehir, from Akbelen to Kulp, it grew stronger and stronger. During this time, Reşit Kibar, who had been defending his forest in Hopa, lost his life as a result of an attack by the company. We remember him with love and respect.

Doga had an exciting year full of new paths. We started working in new regions, for different species, with new partners. Let’s take a look at some of them.

We started a new project with the Hatay Nature Conservation Association for the Hatay Mountain Gazelle. We created spaces for the gazelles to drink water and closed off risky wells to make it safer for them. We gave informational presentations about the gazelles at schools. Together with experts, our efforts to find new living spaces for the increasing number of gazelles are currently ongoing.

For the Dalmatian pelicans living in the Gediz Delta, we came together with BirdLife International partners from the Balkans. Building on their successful experiences, we prepared an artificial breeding platform. To attract pelicans, we put nesting material and two pelican dummies on top. Their breeding season is approaching—let’s see who will nest there first!

We are updating the Inventory of Türkiye’s Key Biodiversity Areas. Our first lists for the nine distinct groups of species have been completed by 12 experts and academics. Next year, the areas and boundaries will be determined based on these lists.

In 2024, we experienced an extinction that devastated us all. As a result of the significant damage to wetlands, the Slender-billed Curlew went extinct! Our efforts continue to sustain and rehabilitate ecosystems critical for birds, particularly wetlands. We’ve started a project for the restoration of water meadows in the Gediz Delta. We are also preparing an extensive restoration plan for the delta as a whole.

We’ve won our case against the regulations converting Lake Marmara into an agricultural area. Our case against the geothermal resource exploration project being exempted from an environmental impact assessment will also be concluded soon. Our sixth case against the geothermal energy plant projects in Orhanlı Valley, where our organization is located, is ongoing.

Last year, we brought together a group of nature defenders in Izmir. We talked about our experiences and needs in advocacy. We organized the 21st Türkiye Bird Conference, focusing on wildlife crimes. We discussed the future of wildlife research with young people. We conducted meetings with experts and public institutions for wetland ecosystem restoration in Izmir.

Our shop, Yavaş Dükkan, designed as a nature conservation project, had a fruitful year with new products. By shopping from our shop, you’ve directly supported 82 manufacturers and the protection of 18 Key Biodiversity Areas and Indigenous Production Landscapes.

Our social media accounts, aiming to be a voice for nature, once again had an active year. We’ve reached 7.8 million people on Instagram, 612,000 on Facebook, and 2.8 million on X.

We see and know that we are not few. We wish for a year where we never sever our bonds, never drift away from each other, and grow our hope together.

Let’s unite in the New Year. Let’s bring something incomprehensible into the world!