Türkiye hosts exceptionally rich biodiversity due to its location at the crossroads of three global biodiversity hotspots: the Mediterranean, Caucasus and Irano-Anatolian regions. Despite covering less than 1% of the Earth’s land surface, the country supports around 10,000 vascular plant species, about one-third of which are endemic, making it one of the richest floras in the temperate world. Türkiye also hosts approximately 1,500 vertebrate species and an estimated 60,000–80,000 animal species across diverse ecosystems ranging from Mediterranean forests and wetlands to alpine habitats and steppes.
Türkiye has established a diverse system of protected and conservation areas, including 49 national parks, 268 nature parks, 32 nature reserve areas, 111 natural monuments, 85 wildlife development areas and 14 Ramsar areas. Additional designations include 59 nationally important wetlands and 58 locally important wetlands, as well as 55 conservation forests and 133 urban forests, alongside 377 gene conservation forests, 214 seed orchards and 305 seed stands, accounting for approximately 9% of the country’s terrestrial area.
The Tech4Nature Türkiye flagship is pioneering a new model for protected area management by integrating technological innovation with nature conservation and supporting the first pilot IUCN Green List assessment in Türkiye. The project is designing and testing innovative digital solutions in Kazdağı National Park.
Site Name: Kazdağı National Park
Site area (ha): 20.935
PA Category: Category I (National Park)
Kazdağları forest ecosystems are among the most important forest landscapes in Türkiye due to their high biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide. Located in northwestern Türkiye, the area hosts diverse forest and maquis ecosystems including Turkish pine, black pine, oak forests and Mediterranean shrublands. The region is also home to the endemic Kazdağı fir (Abies nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani), a species of high conservation value whose persistence is increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change. Strengthening the adaptive capacity of these forest ecosystems is therefore a key priority for ensuring their long-term resilience.
Kazdağı National Park plays a critical role in conserving this biodiversity. At the same time, forests outside the national park boundaries, many of which are managed as production forests, also support important wildlife and plant species. Ensuring a balanced approach between conservation and sustainable use across the wider landscape requires improved biodiversity monitoring, inventories and planning efforts. Strengthening knowledge and management tools is therefore essential to safeguard the ecological values of Kazdağları while maintaining the ecosystem services these forests provide.
The Tech4Nature Türkiye flagship project aims to strengthen biodiversity conservation and protected area management in Kazdağı National Park by directly linking technological innovation with conservation practice. The project deploys an integrated monitoring system combining bioacoustic devices, solar-powered camera traps and meteorological stations to generate reliable data on species and ecosystem dynamics. Capacity building is a core component, with targeted training provided to forest experts to ensure effective implementation and long-term sustainability.
In parallel, the project develops a digital infrastructure to support the national Red Listing of large mammal species in Türkiye, enabling integration with the IUCN Species Information Service (SIS). The initiative also pioneers the first pilot assessment of the IUCN Green List Standard in Türkiye, contributing to improved management effectiveness of the protected area.
Implemented through partnerships between governmental institutions, NGOs, academia and international experts, the project brings together multiple stakeholders to strengthen conservation capacity.
