Akbelen Forest is a woodland in the
Muğla Province of Turkey, located near
İkizköy village.
In July 2023, most of the forest was cut down by
YK Energy to make way for expansion of İkizköy
lignite mine, which supplies the nearby
Yeniköy power station. The deforestation attracted protests in July 2023. The protests were met with a police response and
national media attention. Sixty percent of the forest had been destroyed by August.
The forest
The forest covers 740 hectares (1,800 acres)[2] and is home to various tree species, such as
Turkish pine,[3] oak, alder, chestnut and sycamore.[4]
Local women led their communities in protests against the planned deforestation beginning in 2019.[7][8] Deforestation by YK Energy began on July 24, 2023.[9] On July 27, local activists reported that the forest was three days away from being completely destroyed.[2][6] The deforestation was completed on July 31.[10] Although many Turkish pines were cut down, conservation organization
Doğa Derneği said that the
maquis and the soil should be left undisturbed so that the forest could regenerate itself.[3][11]
The protests garnered national attention in July 2023,[2] as opposition leader
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu joined the protestors.[12] Protestors were met with armoured vehicles, tear gas,[9] and water cannons.[13] Forty people were detained or arrested.[6] Two journalists reporting on the deforestation were fined, and one was detained and accused of "trespassing."[14] The main opposition
Republican People's Party wanted a debate in parliament, but it did not take place as government MPs
prorogued.[15] Some academics also said the mine expansion should be cancelled, for example
Hacettepe University Department of Biology Prof. Dr. Utku Perktaş said that trees are important to help prevent
climate change in Turkey.[3]
Yeniköy and Kemerköy power plants supply most of the electricity in the South Aegean part of the country.[16][note 1] YK Energy said in a press release that most of the more than 3,000 employees were recruited locally. Their press release also said that the power stations provide
baseload power that could not be replaced by
renewable energy. The company's press release also stated that the forest is not a conservation zone, that they will restore the ecosystem once mining is complete, and that the company has planted millions of trees countrywide.[18] According to the Muğla
Govenorate 130,000 saplings will be planted to rehabilitate the area.[13] Political scientist
Elif Shafak has noted that 90% of trees planted by previous government-sponsored initiatives have died.[7][19]
In August 2023, environmental engineer
Deniz Gümüşel stated that sixty percent of the forest was destroyed;[6]gendarmes remained stationed in the area.[20] As there is a clause in
the constitution saying that the environment should be protected, a volunteer lawyer for the inhabitants of İkizköy has alleged that the gendarmerie acted unconstitutionally by stopping the protesters from protecting the environment.[21] President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan dismissed the protestors as "environmentalist-looking marginals" on August 7.[22]
On September 1, 2023, anti-deforestation protestors released a press statement condemning the ongoing deforestation.[23]