Zeytinalanı
Functional Forests Zeytinalanı Implementation Site is 4 hectare in size, hosting many restorative processes from research and development to education, economic production to culture and arts.
We are excited to start building a fertile living space in an area where we had started with a barren and stony soil structure. We are implementing ecological restoration practices with the Functional Forests methodology, observing and measuring the processes and evaluating the results for continuous improvement. Zeytinalanı is continuously improving in becoming self-sufficient.
Our main challenge in this area is drought. Frequent forest fires in the region exacerbate the impact of existing drought conditions. Therefore, a Functional Forest consisting of species that produce biomass, help retain moisture, enrich the soil and do not burn easily while producing necessities is of great value. As cereals and pulses grow with the support of olives, almonds and prickly pear, we focus our efforts on exploring varieties and partnerships to keep the soil covered and green all year round.
We carry out processes in Zeytinalanı with interdisciplinary collaborations on a national and international level focusing on developing a research and application laboratory in design, application, management, measurement and communication.
Functional Forests Zeytinalanı Implementation Site and Community also serves as an event and camping area where we share our knowledge, skills and experience.