Important Bird Areas (ÖKA) Project

Number of areas where birds are visiting during their whole life, is infinitive. For this reason, effective protection for all of these areas are impossible. During the Important Bird Areas (ÖKA) approach, in case of protection and good management, prior areas, which will assist most feasibly on protection of birds and biological variety, are determined.

ÖKA is a project which is started in 1989 by International Bird Protection Council and executed within various countries of the world. Natural Life protection Foundation had commenced the studies required for the Turkish part of the project, from the beginning, and issued ÖKA book in 1997. Foundation, which is still executing new evaluation studies, is continuing to perform its observation studies at the same time.

Important Bird Areas of Türkiye Project, which is started in 1990, is aiming the determination of new ÖKAs and continual observation of progresses within areas, and protection - with campaigns and lobby activities, establishment of public opinion - of areas important for the birds within Türkiye.

This project and inventory studies in connection with this project is executed under coordination of Natural Life Protection Foundation within our country.