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Doga Dernegi, or Nature Association, the Turkish partner of BirdLife International, was established in 2002 with the goal of 'generating constructive and appropriate solutions' for the natural environment. It is one of the most active associations in Turkey in its field, with around 30 successful national and international projects to its name, as well as several studies across the country, including the largest inventory of key biodiversity areas in the country
Speaking to Turkish Review, Doga Dernegi (DD) Director-General Engin Yilmaz said the movement's roots lie in bird watching. The Turkish NGO is supported in its endeavors by its international partner BirdLife International, which has one of the largest nature protection networks in the world, active in 126 countries.
The DD began with studies on bird species in Turkey, determining areas that merited special protection. It later launched a study to expand the exercise to include groups like mammals, reptiles and plants. The DD collaborated with major and prominent international organizations in this, such as Conservation International (Cl) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (TUCN). The outcome of the project was a panspedes methodology for the determination of protection zones known as key biodiversity areas (KBA).
The assodation's story from the protection of endangered bird spedes through to the present day is neatly recapitulated in the DD's mission and...