Nedim Kemer

I would like to let you know that there was a catastrophic forest fire in the region of our project site two weeks ago. The link below is of a news article about this fire.

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=111470

This is the biggest fire that happened in the Antalya region in Turkey. The loss and the environmental devastation are colossal: 4000 hectare forest burned engulfing several villages and causing two fatalities.

The fire started inside the Koprulu Kanyon National Park where our project takes place. Although the exact location of our project was not directly impacted by the fire the local communities of our project site are under scrutiny because the allegations claim that this fire was due arson.

The outcome of this catastrophic event is not limited with the damage given to the bio-physical environment. The social and political environment was equally impacted. The case is being investigated and the local communities are under severe scrutiny. The park management of the Koprulu Kanyon National Park is occupied with this investigation. They are also very busy with immediate rectification measures.

Collaborating with local residents and management representatives are the critical aspects of our project - the “fish filter and ‘scare-fish’. Training and awareness raising are the objectives of the social dimension of the project. Considering the fact that the members of the Park Management and the local villagers are both participants and the targets of our project the current social environment will pose a critical challenge to our project.

Going to the site and initiating the field work phase of the project would not be viable until the case resolves and the social environment return to its natural state. I was also advised by Mr. Yilmazturk who is the director of the National Park not to go to the site in these days when I contacted him via
phone. He added that such an attempt would severely endanger the success of our project.

Under this circumstance I will have to postpone the initiation of my field work to April-May 2009. Meanwhile, I will continue to work in developing the design and building the fish-filter and the scare-fish instruments of the project. I will be fully prepared for a successful implementation of the project in May 2009.

I would like to let you know that there are quite some progression on the development of the Fish Filter and ‘Scare-Fish’ project of ours.

Although the wild-forest fire I mentioned previously was a catastrophic incident for the region it did not have as much impact on our project as I was worried.

The entire filtering system was built quite successfully. I built the filter-screen frames and I commissioned the construction task of the main filter structure to a metal shop in Antalya called /Kivrak/. Erdogan Erden there executed the main frame quite successfully and meticulously. It was tested that the filter-screen frames and the main filter structure work together very well. The main structure was painted and was posted with RSGF Logo and an information sign (see photos) The sign is in Turkish which translates as:

Beskonak Village

*Irrigation Filter for Protecting Young Fish*

This project is our gift to the dear people of Beskonak Village to prevent the young fish from escaping with the irrigation water from the Itice Stream to the fields to ensure that the next generations could also enjoy fishing in the Koprucay River.

*The Rufford Small Grants*

I have further collaborated with the local residents of the Beskonak Village both for project implementation and for training objectives. I met with the village headman, the imam of the village mosque, and four council members of the village board. Along with these critical figures I also met some other influential people from the village who will have critical impact on the successfulimplementation of the project. I built a scale model of the filtering system and used it during the meetings, which has proven to be a very effective tool. Eventually I have gained significant support from the locals. The installation of the system to the field was scheduled for next spring when the irrigation starts and when the young fish start to return the main river. The headman and some other local residents have volunteered to transport the filtering device from the work shop in Antalya to the Beskonak village and to store it there. I will further disseminate the collaboration efforts with the entirety of the village upon my return to the site for the installation.

I will give a seminar to the man and women of the village with an awareness raising purpose on better management of the natural resources. The initial objective is on the maintenance of the fish filter system. This seminar will be held in the village school building.

I have consulted with the national park management, presented the development of the project and have confirmed that their support and permission are ongoing.

Please review the web site of the project which was updated with the final progress.
http://people.umass.edu/nedkem/FF/ffproblem.html

Read about the activities undertaken and findings of this project in the final report below.