3000 Seedlings Plants on the ETU Campus
Erzurum Technical University (ETU) and Erzurum Regional Directorate of Forestry jointly planted many saplings on the ETU campus on November 11th, National Afforestation Day.
This year, as part of the event held simultaneously across Türkiye with the slogan "Our witness is the soil, our signature is the sapling, our love is the Green Homeland!", a total of 3,000 Scots pine, birch, elm, western spruce, and blue spruce saplings were planted on the ETU Campus.
The event, organized to strengthen awareness of protecting natural life, contribute to the fight against erosion, increase biodiversity, and increase our country's green space assets, was attended by ETU Rector Prof. Dr. Bülent Çakmak and Erzurum Regional Forestry Manager Serkan Karakurt, as well as Erzurum Governor Mustafa Çiftçi, Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Mehmet Akarsu, the city's administrative, civil, and military officials, and numerous ETU personnel and students.
Speaking at the program, Governor Mustafa Çiftçi stated that Erzurum has a surface area of approximately two and a half million hectares, stating that 60 percent of this area consists of pastures, 480,000 hectares of agricultural land, and approximately 290,000-300,000 hectares of forested areas. Reminding that the province has only 10-12 percent forested area, Çiftçi emphasized that increasing this rate is a shared responsibility. He noted that the Ministry of National Education's new Maarif Model has introduced the concepts of "green homeland, blue homeland, sky homeland" into the education curriculum, adding that this approach has strengthened the sense of homeland in younger generations. Recalling the 32,500-sapling planting event held in Aşkale lastweek, Çiftçi stated that three saplings are planted for every blood donated as part of the "Blood for Life, Life for the Forest" protocol implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with the Red Crescent, and that sapling planting continues on behalf of high-speed train passengers and patients. Governor Çiftçi emphasized that these lands are not inherited but entrusted to us, saying, "It is the responsibility of all of us to protect this trust and pass it on to future generations in a richer form."
Rector Çakmak emphasized that planting trees is more than just an environmental activity; it's one of the most valuable legacies we leave for the future. "Planting trees is one of the most meaningful gifts we leave to the future," he said. "Humans can sometimes be creatures that destroy nature, but when they plant a sapling in the ground, they become a force that repairs, beautifies, and sustains nature. Today, we are planting approximately 3,000 saplings on our campus. It's truly exciting that millions of saplings will be planted simultaneously across our country at 11:11 a.m. on November 11th. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'Even if you know the apocalypse is coming, plant the sapling you have.' This understanding demonstrates that hope and production should never be postponed. Every sapling we plant today symbolizes our connection with nature, our faith in the future, and our respect for life. I extend my gratitude to everyone who contributed to this meaningful event."
Following Rector Çakmak's speech, the Erzurum Regional Directorate of Forestry officials explained to the participants the points to be taken into consideration when planting saplings, and the participants planted the saplings and gave them their life water.
The event ended with the planting of saplings and a souvenir photo taken.
Communications and Promotion Directorate November 11,2025
