Green Road project for easier access to highlands sparks debate
by Daily Sabah with Wires
ISTANBULJul 16, 2015 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Daily Sabah with Wires
Jul 16, 2015 12:00 am
The lush highlands of the Black Sea region of northern Turkey have long been difficult to access. Now, a project titled Green Road, which will see construction of a 2,600 kilometer-long road straddling through them, is underway amid concerns on its environmental impact.
With the construction of the road, travelers will be spared from the strenuous journey to the highlands spanning eight provinces from Samsun to Artvin. Villages and small towns in the highlands are also expected to turn into boomtowns with new commercial opportunities.
Construction of the road has hit obstacles along the way, however, namely opposition from environmental activists and locals who claim it will damage the region's natural ecosystem. The opposition mainly stems in Çamlıhemşin, a district of the Rize province where the road will cross through three highlands. On July 13, a local court suspended the execution of the project although it was already underway, days after opponents of the Green Road project staged a sit-in and clashed with security forces trying to disperse them, as crowds of activists attempted to block bulldozers and trucks deployed for the road's construction.
Local opposition to the project remains confined to Rize and more specifically to Çamlıhemşin, as no protest has taken place against the project in other provinces. Even in Rize, there are groups supporting the project and denouncing protesters, saying "activists from other cities who have no clue on how the region will benefit from the project [are taking part]." Although opposition to the project over environmental concerns looks widespread on social media, a petition campaign in support of the project is also drawing support. Supporters welcome easier access to the highlands through the Green Road project, which will also enable electricity supplies to high pastures where locals spend the summer.
Ekrem Yüce, head of the Eastern Black Sea Region Development Authority (DOKAP), which oversees the project, pledged that the Green Road project would not be damaging to the environment in any way. Yüce claimed the protests, which he describes as dragging down the project, broke out because of a "misperception" of the project. "It is in line with regulations that require such projects to be conducted carefully to preserve natural and historical sites and minimize the impact on the environment," he recently told reporters. Yüce said the public in other provinces, including Samsun, Ordu, Giresun, Gümüşhane, Bayburt, Trabzon and Artvin, did not protest the road's construction; on the contrary, they repeatedly called on local administrators to go ahead with the project.
The highlands are also a major source of income for locals making their living through breeding livestock in lush pastures. Yüce said better access to the highlands would prevent migration of the local population to other cities and will further increase the income of locals in all provinces in the eastern Black Sea region.
A main concern is structural development in the highlands after road construction is completed. Locals say hotels and other facilities that would be built in the area after the construction of the road would harm the environment. Yüce said they would only allow the construction of wooden structures, in line with the traditional architectural style that is common in the highlands.
Authorities maintain that the Green Road project would also boost tourism in the region, a much-needed source of income in the Black Sea where locals increasingly migrate to western cities in pursuit of jobs. Thanks to a widespread promotional campaign, the number of Arab tourists visiting the region has substantially increased in recent years. The Black Sea highlands are regarded as one of the most popular destinations for tourists from Arab countries preferring to spend their vacation in mountain lodges, after Uludağ Mountain in western Turkey.
Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.
You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.