Forest for trees
Meet Hikmet Kaya, a 78 year old retired forest technician in Turkey who has dedicated 41 years of his life to planting 30 million saplings on a barren hill in the town of Sinop, transforming it into a forest.
Hikmet’s mission started in 1978 when he became Head of Afforestation in Sinop’s Boyabat district. A man of vision, Hikmet decided to reforest a 10,000ha stretch of barren land that overlooked the town. Realistic about the work ahead , Hikmet recruited specialised teams and volunteers from the local community to help. During his 25 years of service in the forestry department, he never stopped planting saplings and continued his mission after he retired in 2002.
Over the decades, Hikmet’s 30 million seedlings have grown into trees and today his forest is inhabited by foxes, boars, rabbits, and bears. The forest of Boyabat has also become a green oasis for locals, many of whom are not old enough to remember how inhospitable the landscape was at the beginning of Hikmet’s journey.
Hikmet says the forest is his greatest source of pride and is urging other people in Turkey to protect forest areas and plant more trees, which he calls the future of the country. “This kind of effort requires sacrifice, labour, and love. Love for your nation and beyond that a love for all humanity.”
