The project titled “Nature’s Treasures are Safe: Combating Biopiracy in Erzurum”, prepared by the Ecology and Climate Community of Erzurum Technical University (ETU), has been awarded support under the University Student Communities Cooperation and Support Program (UNIDES) by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Aiming to protect Erzurum’s rich biological diversity and raise awareness about biopiracy, the project is being carried out under the coordination of Damla Ilayda Kurt, a student in ETU’s Faculty of Science, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, and supervised by Dr. Murat Turan. As part of the project, ecological workshops will be organized, and certified training sessions will be provided to participants.

In their evaluation of the topic, the project team highlighted that Erzurum is Turkey’s third richest province in terms of endemic species, stating: “We believe the project will enhance sensitivity toward the conservation of endemic species and improve ecological responsibility awareness among the local population. The project will begin on February 1, 2025, and run until March 2, 2025, with a strong focus on ecological awareness activities during this period. The ‘Nature’s Treasures are Safe’ project will be an important step towards creating an environmentally conscious and protective society in Erzurum. We will continue our efforts with the goal of building an eco-friendly community.”

Corporate Communication Directorate, January 14, 2025