Nature protection and biodiversity - National Responses (Turkey)

The Draft Law on Biodiversity and Nature Conservation has been prepared to overcome above mentioned challenges and, in the meantime, to ensure re-arrangement of legal and institutional structure in this line. 

National Biodiversity Data Base System has been established and launched (Noah’s Arc biodiversity data base) (www.nuhungemisi.gov.tr) in October 2007.  The system consists of main three parts: species, habitats and areas. Data are provided from universities, NGOs, scientists and researchers.

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan has been prepared in 2007 under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Red List concerning plants has been prepared but still needs to be updated. Also, efforts for the preparation of Red Lists for endangered or under threat animals is going on.

The proportion of protected areas to the country’s total surface area increased from 4 % to about 6 % after 2000. The aim is to increase the proportion to 10 % of the country’s total surface area.