Türkiye is preparing for one of its largest environmental initiatives as National Forestation Day approaches on Nov. 11. The Green Homeland Mobilization, launched under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, seeks to plant 550 million saplings and seeds within one year, involving citizens across all 81 provinces.
In a post on his social media account, President Erdoğan invited all citizens to adopt a sapling via the official website and to join tree planting events in every province on Nov. 11. “Turning Nov. 11 into a nationwide afforestation mobilization is an important opportunity both to heal the wounds caused by forest fires and to leave a lush green legacy for our children,” Erdoğan said, expressing gratitude to participants who will plant trees on the day.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumaklı highlighted that the campaign aims to involve citizens of all ages, from 7 to 77, in planting activities across 922 districts. “On Nov. 11, in 81 provinces and 922 districts, all our citizens will plant saplings together,” he said at a news conference. Yumaklı emphasized that, with the right steps, it is possible to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change and leave a livable world for future generations. “Forests are the strongest guarantee in this fight,” he added.
Over the past 23 years, Türkiye has planted more than 7.5 billion saplings and seeds, increasing forested areas to 23.4 million hectares, which now cover 30% of the country’s land. Yumaklı noted that this achievement places Türkiye among the top four nations globally for afforestation.
He added that, amid growing wildfire risks due to climate change, Türkiye has relied on its experience and technical capacity to combat fires effectively. So far this year, 7,092 fires have been fought – 2,982 inside forests and 4,110 outside. He commemorated citizens who lost their lives in the fires and thanked volunteers who supported firefighting efforts.
Emphasizing legal protections for forested land, Yumaklı stressed, “Burned areas cannot under any circumstances be opened to construction. They must be reforested,” referring to Article 169 of the Constitution.
The Green Homeland Mobilization includes several initiatives. Memorial forests will be established in 17 locations across eight provinces in memory of heroes who lost their lives fighting wildfires and in 11 provinces to honor citizens who died in earthquake zones. Nationwide, “Family Year Forests” will be created as part of the Year of Family campaign. In addition, the “Gaza Memorial Forest” will be planted in memory of 68,000 innocent victims of the Gaza massacre.
Other collaborative efforts include the “1 Blood Donation, 3 Saplings” campaign with the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay), through which 4.5 million saplings will be planted and partnerships with the Basketball and Football Federations to carry out tree-planting activities nationwide.
Citizens, institutions and companies can participate through the official website or the newly launched Geleceğe Nefes mobile application. Users can adopt saplings, track planting progress via digital maps and receive certificates for themselves or as gifts for others. Donations for individual or corporate contributions are also accepted through the platform.
Since its introduction in 2019 under the theme “Breath for the Future” (Geleceğe Nefes), National Forestation Day has become one of Türkiye’s most significant environmental initiatives. Millions of volunteers, students, local administrations and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) participate annually, contributing to the country’s broader climate and sustainability goals.
Yumaklı concluded by calling on all citizens to join the effort. “As the General Directorate of Forestry, we already carry out afforestation according to a plan and schedule. However, our strength increases when we join hands with citizens. For a greener Türkiye and a healthier future, I invite everyone to plant saplings on Nov. 11. Let the soil be our witness, the saplings our signature and our love for a green homeland our pledge.”
