“Dam” Victory for Turkey’s Environmentalists!

This beautiful valley might have been flooded by another Turkish dam. Photo retrieved from: www.greenphrophet.com

“Turkey’s ongoing water resources and energy problems have already resulted in the damming of a number of rivers in that country to create reservoirs for both water storage and creation of hydro electricity.  A planned government project to construct a dam across the Macahel Valley, the country’s lone UNESCO recognized natural biosphere reserve, has now been canceled.  The cancellation is attributed to intense efforts by local and international environmentalists to save what is considered to be a unique natural haven for a number of wildlife species, according to Turkey’s Hurriyet English News Agency.

The planned project, in which a large dam was to be constructed as part of a hydro-electricity project, has been the subject of the environmentalists fight for past few years. The dam’s construction plans were announced then for the region in northeastern Turkey to help solve the country’s increasing energy need, as well as provide much needed fresh water.

Being a UNESCO recognized natural biosphere reserve the region is unique for a species of honeybee, the Caucasus bee, one of the world’s three most important bee species, and which actually reproduces in the valley. The valley is also home to a large number of larger animal species, including bears, deer, wolves, jackals, red foxes, badgers, martens and weasels.

Turkey’s damming projects have been ongoing for some time; including ones like the damming of the Euphrates River, turning a once mighty river into not much more than a stream.”

Read more: Green Prophet