“Yaşamın Çeşitliliği: Milleyha” Webinarları
Milleyha Wetland, located in Hatay’s Samandağ district, is a unique ecosystem rich in biodiversity. Home to countless bird species, turtles, and various aquatic organisms, Milleyha plays a critical role in maintaining ecological balance. However, despite its natural richness, the area faces multiple threats. Agricultural and urban pressures disrupt its natural structure, while factors such as agricultural, domestic, and industrial waste, along with illegal dumping, pollute the soil and water, putting wildlife at risk.
In the first half of 2025, Roots & Shoots Türkiye organized the “The Diversity of Life” webinar series to highlight the ecological and cultural values of Milleyha. The events were carried out in collaboration with Emin Yoğurtçuoğlu, the Samandağ Sea Turtles Research, Protection and Monitoring Center, and the Sivil Alan Hareket Ağı. With the contributions of distinguished academics and field experts, the webinars explored Milleyha’s biodiversity, the threats it faces, and the importance of protecting this unique area.
The Diversity of Life: Milleyha Webinars
Milleyha Wetland, located in Hatay’s Samandağ district, is a unique ecosystem rich in biodiversity. Home to countless bird species, turtles, and various aquatic organisms, Milleyha plays a critical role in maintaining ecological balance. However, despite its natural richness, the area faces multiple threats. Agricultural and urban pressures disrupt its natural structure, while factors such as agricultural, domestic, and industrial waste, along with illegal dumping, pollute the soil and water, putting wildlife at risk.
In the first half of 2025, Roots & Shoots Türkiye organized the “The Diversity of Life” webinar series to highlight the ecological and cultural values of Milleyha. The events were carried out in collaboration with Emin Yoğurtçuoğlu, the Samandağ Sea Turtles Research, Protection and Monitoring Center, and the Sivil Alan Hareket Ağı. With the contributions of distinguished academics and field experts, the webinars explored Milleyha’s biodiversity, the threats it faces, and the importance of protecting this unique area.
The opening session, “The Diversity of Life: Milleyha,” was held with the guidance of Burcu Meltem Arık and Emin Yoğurtçuoğlu, focusing on Milleyha’s natural richness, its bird species, sea turtles, and the place it holds in our collective memory.
The second session, titled “The Diversity of Life: Milleyha Arum – Arum milleyhanum,” took participants on a scientific journey. Prof. Dr. Hasan Yıldırım and Dr. Samim Kayıkçı introduced this newly identified endemic species and discussed its ecological significance as well as the process of species description.
The final session, “The Diversity of Life: Sea Turtles of Samandağ,” featured Prof. Dr. Bektaş Sönmez and Mişel Atik, who shared insights on the populations and life cycles of Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas on the Samandağ coast, as well as the threats they face and ongoing conservation efforts.
Through these three gatherings, participants discovered that Milleyha is not only a wetland but also a shared living space where birds, turtles, plants, and people come together in harmony.
The second session, titled “The Diversity of Life: Milleyha Arum – Arum milleyhanum,” took participants on a scientific journey. Prof. Dr. Hasan Yıldırım and Dr. Samim Kayıkçı introduced this newly identified endemic species and discussed its ecological significance as well as the process of species description.
The final session, “The Diversity of Life: Sea Turtles of Samandağ,” featured Prof. Dr. Bektaş Sönmez and Mişel Atik, who shared insights on the populations and life cycles of Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas on the Samandağ coast, as well as the threats they face and ongoing conservation efforts.
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Through these three gatherings, participants discovered that Milleyha is not only a wetland but also a shared living space where birds, turtles, plants, and people come together in harmony.