Protection for Ayder Plateau by the Ministry

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has completed the ‘Ayder Renewal and Protection Project’ prepared for Ayder Plateau in Rize’s Çamlıhemşin district. The plateau, which showcases its natural beauties and has been cleared of illegal swings from ‘strictly protected sensitive areas’, has been equipped with structures suitable for local architecture, an eco-friendly parking lot, and a wastewater treatment facility. Minister Murat Kurum shared new images of Ayder Plateau on his social media account with the note, “Have you visited Ayder lately? We have enhanced the beauty of the natural wonder Ayder.”

After President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s instructions in 2019, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change took action for the ‘Ayder Renewal and Protection Project’. The Urban Transformation Directorate, the General Directorate of National Estate, the General Directorate of Nature Conservation (TVK), the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ), and İller Bankası AŞ (İLBANK) mobilized their resources to protect the natural beauties of Ayder Plateau and make it available for public service. Initially, areas with five hotels were expropriated and designated as green spaces. The hotels in these areas were demolished. TOKİ built 52-room apartments that are suitable for the local architecture and natural texture. New apartments were provided to the rightful owners of the demolished hotels from this project.

Parking for 1,650 vehicles

The areas where illegal swings causing environmental and visual pollution were set up have been declared as ‘Strictly Protected Sensitive Areas’ by the General Directorate of TVK. The swings were dismantled. To solve the traffic problem in the plateau, the Urban Transformation Directorate was activated for the wastewater facility, while İLBANK was brought in. A parking lot for 1,650 vehicles and a wastewater treatment facility have been established in Ayder. Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum shared images of Ayder Plateau with the note, “Have you visited Ayder lately? We have enhanced the beauty of the natural wonder Ayder.”

“Ayder’s wastewater is now being treated”

Ali Serkan Savaş, the Provincial Director of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change in Rize, emphasized that a project has been implemented that ends illegal construction that distorts Ayder’s silhouette and reveals its natural texture. Savaş stated: “Our vision was to create an Ayder where its waters are purified through wastewater treatment, the Fırtına Valley flows clean, its roads are free from traffic, exhaust fumes are minimal, and people can walk while breathing in nature. Ayder’s wastewater is now being treated. Again, our parking lot for 1,650 vehicles, which can be described as eco-friendly and a marvel of engineering, was completed this year. Traffic within Ayder has begun to be reduced, allowing our citizens to walk comfortably on the sidewalks. Our aging thermal hotel has been renovated. Additionally, a total of 52-room apartments suitable for local architecture have been built. Under the instructions of Mr. Murat Kurum, the hotels that distorted Ayder’s silhouette were exchanged for green areas, and the locations of these hotels were demolished, remaining green for our hotels. This year, these hotels have also started operating.

“We felt uplifted here”

Visitors to Ayder also spoke highly of the plateau’s renewed state. Nazan Sümer said, “We saw the parking lot on our way here. Parking lots have been constructed leading downwards without disturbing the view in any way. I think this is very nice.” Noting that the hotels were built with a focus on wooden materials, Sümer added, “I think it has become authentic. It’s nice to have stone and wood instead of concrete.” Expressing that she liked Ayder’s new state very much, Derin Ekşi stated, “We said we wouldn’t stay long, but we’ve been wandering here for about 3 hours. It’s so beautiful; we liked it a lot. We felt uplifted, and we recommend it. We also shot a small vlog in the meantime. It has been well done. We thank the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change.”