Doğal Hayatı Koruma Derneği

Doğal Hayatı Koruma Derneği
Name	Doğal Hayatı Koruma Derneği
Native name	Doğal Hayatı Koruma Derneği
Formation	2008
Type	Non-governmental organization
Headquarters	Ankara
Location	Turkey
Area served	Turkey
Focus	Wildlife conservation, biodiversity

Doğal Hayatı Koruma Derneği is a Turkish non-governmental organization focused on conservation, biodiversity protection, and wildlife research across Turkey. The association conducts ecological fieldwork, species monitoring, habitat restoration, and public outreach, engaging with international and domestic partners to align with global conservation frameworks. Its work intersects with scientific institutions, environmental agencies, protected area managers, and civil society networks to address threats to flora and fauna.

History

Doğal Hayatı Koruma Derneği traces roots to conservation initiatives contemporaneous with the establishment of Ministry of Environment and Urbanization (Turkey), coordination with Convention on Biological Diversity signatories, and collaborations with academic bodies such as Hacettepe University, Middle East Technical University, Istanbul University, Ege University, and Ankara University. Early projects aligned with international frameworks including the Ramsar Convention, Bern Convention, BirdLife International, and International Union for Conservation of Nature. Founders consulted experts from institutions like World Wide Fund for Nature, Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and researchers linked to Smithsonian Institution, Natural History Museum, London, and Kew Gardens. Initial campaigns targeted sites comparable to Kuşcenneti National Park, Gökçeada National Park, and corridors near Mount Ararat, informed by studies from Turkish Academy of Sciences and conservationists influenced by figures such as Jane Goodall, David Attenborough, Rachel Carson, E.O. Wilson, and Sir Peter Scott.

Mission and Objectives

The association's mission emphasizes protection of endangered species, habitats, and ecological processes in line with commitments under Nagoya Protocol, Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and regional biodiversity strategies endorsed by European Union directives and Council of Europe instruments. Objectives include species recovery for taxa listed by IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, habitat restoration consistent with EU Natura 2000 principles, promotion of scientific research linked to International Union for Conservation of Nature standards, and enhancement of protected area management akin to operations in Göreme National Park, Kaçkar Mountains National Park, and Yozgat Pine Grove National Park.

Organizational Structure and Governance

Governance combines an elected board, advisory committees with academics from Boğaziçi University and Dokuz Eylül University, and field coordinators with experience from organizations such as BirdLife International Partnership and TRAFFIC. The structure parallels nonprofit models used by Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Sierra Club, while maintaining legal registration under Turkish civil society frameworks related to the Turkish Civil Code and liaising with authorities including the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Turkey). Advisory input often involves specialists affiliated with IUCN Species Survival Commission, European Environment Agency, and museums like Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

Programs and Projects

Programs address species monitoring for birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and plants, incorporating methodologies from BirdLife International, Wetlands International, and Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Projects include habitat restoration driven by techniques used in Biosphere Reserves such as Kuşcenneti, community-based conservation reminiscent of initiatives by WWF and Conservation International, and anti-poaching efforts informed by practices from TRAFFIC and Interpol cooperation. Fieldwork sites have included coastal wetlands, Mediterranean maquis, steppe grasslands near Konya Plain, and montane forests in the Kaçkar Mountains, drawing on partnerships with UN Environment Programme, UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, and regional entities like Çukurova University.

Conservation Impact and Achievements

Achievements include contributions to species action plans for taxa comparable to Anatolian leopard, Mediterranean monk seal, and migratory birds protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, habitat rehabilitation projects reflecting best practices used in Natura 2000 sites, and capacity-building workshops for rangers modeled after curricula from IUCN Academy. The association has documented biodiversity data that supplemented national reports to Convention on Biological Diversity and informed spatial planning in provinces such as İzmir, Antalya, Rize, Van, and Çanakkale. Collaborative research has been published alongside partners like Hacettepe University Department of Biology, Middle East Technical University Department of Biology, Istanbul Technical University, and multinational bodies including European Commission research programs.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources include grants, philanthropy, and project-based contracts with entities similar to European Union LIFE Programme, Global Environment Facility, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, and private foundations inspired by Ford Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Strategic partnerships span BirdLife International, WWF Turkey, Doğa Derneği (other organizations), Local municipalities, and international research centres such as Zoological Society of London, Royal Society, Max Planck Society, CNRS, and University of Cambridge. Collaboration with corporate partners has been structured to align with standards promoted by IUCN and UN Global Compact-style frameworks.

Public Engagement and Education

Public outreach includes school programs modeled after curricula from UNESCO, citizen science initiatives similar to eBird, community workshops informed by Rural Development Programmes, and awareness campaigns timed with international observances like World Wildlife Day and International Day for Biological Diversity. Educational partnerships involve museums and cultural institutions such as Istanbul Archaeology Museums and NGOs like TEMA Foundation, promoting stewardship among youth, municipal officials, and stakeholders in regions including Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Trabzon, and Adana.

Category:Environmental organizations based in Turkey