Bargilya Wetland SOS: A Call for Immediate Action

 

Local Organization: Yaban Hayatı ve Doğa Koruma Vakfı (Wildlife and Nature Conservation Foundation)
Mentor Organization: Doğa Derneği
Award Amount: €10 000
Project Type: PROZHUM Mentorship Project
Duration: July 2025 – November 2026
Project Contact: Fulya Kaya Massizzo, fulya@familykaya.com
Keywords: Threat mapping ; Enforcement bodies ; Community engagement

 

Birdwatching walk in Boğaziçi Bargilya with university students, community members and local stakeholders

Summary

The project addresses the urgent ecological crisis facing Bargilya Wetland, a biologically rich lagoon ecosystem on Türkiye’s Aegean coast that, despite its official protection status, remains severely degraded from  uncontrolled aquaculture, illegal development, and weak law enforcement. Led by the Wildlife and Nature Conservation Foundation (Yaban Vakfı) and mentored by Doğa Derneği, the initiative aims to document and map key threats, strengthen cooperation with enforcement bodies, and raise public and institutional awareness through the #BargilyaSOS campaign. By combining science-based mapping, advocacy, and inclusive communication, the project seeks to halt ongoing degradation, revitalize the local Wetland Action Group, and create the foundation for long-term community engagement and stewardship of Bargilya’s unique wetland ecosystem.

Objectives

  • Identify, validate and publicly communicate the major ecological pressures and threats to the Bargilya wetland through participatory mapping, and coordination with local public enforcement bodies and stakeholders for on-field enforcement planning
  • Increase public awareness and institutional visibility of the wetland’s ecological and cultural importance through the #BargilyaSOS campaign and a community-led public forum
  • Revitalize and expand the existing Bargilya Working Group into an inclusive Wetland Action Group specialised in advocacy, community engagement, and civil society governance

Resources

  • Learn more about the PROZHUM project

Funding

Agence Française de Développement (AFD) implements France’s policy on international development and solidarity. Through its financing of NGOs and the public sector, as well as its research and publications, AFD supports and accelerates transitions towards a fairer, more resilient world. It also provides training in sustainable development (at AFD Campus) and other awareness-raising activities in France.