In the Climate Change project, students collected trash and turned it into works of art.

Within the framework of the project “Future of Climate: Future Climate 2” organized by Kastamonu University, university students examined burned forest areas and created artworks using the trash they collected around a pond to raise awareness.

The project titled “Future of Climate: Future Climate 2” prepared by Kastamonu University has been deemed worthy of support under the TÜBİTAK 4004 Nature Education and Science Schools Support Program. The project, conducted by Lecturer Berkan Güngör from Kastamonu University, will last for 10 days. In this context, 12 different workshop sessions will be organized, and a total of 40 hours of training will be implemented. The project addresses the scientific foundations of climate change, environmental impacts, and sustainability issues in the workshop sessions. The project is supported by 3 universities, 4 public institutions, and 1 private organization, including 4 experts, 14 trainers, 7 guides, and 1 health personnel. Participants engaged in wildlife and bird watching in Kastamonu’s Devrekani district, as part of the project focusing on climate change, environmental awareness, and nature education. Participants also took nature walks in the area, where they were informed about wildlife and birds by subject matter experts.

Subsequently, the participants conducted investigations in the area affected by a fire that broke out in September 2020 in the village of Derekaraağaç, located in the Taşköprü district of Kastamonu, which was extinguished in 2 days. The team gathered information about the afforestation efforts carried out by the Kastamonu Forest Regional Directorate in the burned area, which suffered damage over an area of 1,000 hectares, and was informed about the measures that need to be taken against forest fires and the issues that cause them.

They turned trash into artworks

Later, the team moved to Yumurtacı Pond in Daday district, where they collected trash, especially littered by picnickers. After collecting the trash, participants were educated on the importance of environmental cleanliness and recycling awareness. After the training, participants transformed the trash they collected into artworks using various materials to raise awareness.

It was stated that various workshops and field trips would continue throughout the project days.

“We are gaining practical on-site knowledge through field trips”

Ceren Yıldız, a student from the Faculty of Architecture at Kayseri Abdullah Gül University who participated in the project, expressed, “I am very happy to be part of this project. What I love most about the project is that we are not only gaining theoretical knowledge through seminars and conferences, but we are also gaining practical on-site knowledge through field trips. I am very happy to be here, and I want to implement the knowledge I gain here in my life, starting from my close circle.”

“The project changed my perspective on climate within my personal development and my field of politics”

Ömer Özer, a Political Science and International Relations student at Çankaya University, stated, “I am participating in the project from Izmir. We are in a natural environment within this project organized by Kastamonu University. In the framework of the project, both conferences and seminars are held. At the same time, we are participating in workshop sessions. Moreover, we are conducting investigations as part of the field studies. This has changed my perspective on climate within my personal development and my field of politics. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the realization of the project, Kastamonu University, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the Kastamonu Forest Regional Directorate, and the Provincial Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate.”