WHY THE BÜYÜK MENDERES BASIN?
The Büyük Menderes Basin, where many civilizations have lived throughout the ages, is today home to modern cities. The Büyük Menderes River, which forms the most fertile agricultural land in the region and gives life to living things, has played a major role in the birth of civilizations in this region.
The Büyük Menderes Basin is home to modern life today. The river meets the water needs of the cities and ensures the continuity of life in the region while supplying water to the industrial and tourism sectors, but especially agriculture.
The basin, which has rich habitats such as forests, maquis shrublands and wetlands, is of significant ecological importance. It has 10 protected areas and 3 wetlands of international importance.
The basin is also home to threatened bird species such as Dalmatian pelicans, greater flamingos, over 30 species of endemic plants not seen anywhere else in the world, as well as an endemic killifish species and the Tavas frog. In the field of agriculture and industry, this basin is one of Turkey’s important production areas.
But the Büyük Menderes River is losing its force because we don't use its waters wisely. The region is at risk due to unplanned urbanization as well as unsustainable practices in industry and agriculture, especially in the last 50 years.UŞAK ACCOUNTS FOR
AYDIN ACCOUNTS FOR
DENIZLI ACCOUNTS FOR
The basin, which has rich habitats such as forests, maquis shrublands and wetlands, is of significant ecological importance. It has 10 protected areas and 3 wetlands of international importance.
The basin is also home to threatened bird species such as Dalmatian pelicans, greater flamingos, over 30 species of endemic plants not seen anywhere else in the world, as well as an endemic killifish species and the Tavas frog. In the field of agriculture and industry, this basin is one of Turkey’s important production areas.
But the Büyük Menderes River is losing its force because we don't use its waters wisely. The region is at risk due to unplanned urbanization as well as unsustainable practices in industry and agriculture, especially in the last 50 years.
UŞAK ACCOUNTS FOR
40% OF NATIONAL
LEATHER PRODUCTION
AYDIN ACCOUNTS FOR
14% OF NATIONAL
COTTON PRODUCTION
DENIZLI ACCOUNTS FOR
60% OF NATIONAL
HOME TEXTILE EXPORTS
THE BÜYÜK MENDERES IS ABOUT TO LOSE ITS FORCE
SPECIES ARE AT RISK
The last 3,500 pairs of Dalmatian pelicans inEurope are fighting for survival.
HEALTH IS AT RISK
65% of Turkey's fig production,20% of olive production, 14% of cottonproduction takes place in the region, and
low-quality water is used for irrigation.
PRODUCTION IS AT RISK
The Büyük Menderes Basin is under water stress. The future of industrialand agricultural production is therefore at risk.
As WWF Turkey, we aim to contribute to the protection of the water resources of the Büyük Menderes Basin by increasing public, civil society, and private sector collaboration. Our goal is to ensure a sustainable water quantity and quality needed by humans and nature. We also aim for production practices in ways that use water more efficiently in industry and agriculture and which do not pollute the river. We are working with our business partners and stakeholders to transform our pioneering work into viable models in other basins. As WWF Turkey, we believe that protecting our water resources is #togetherpossible
TO HELP BÜYÜK MENDERES’
JOURNEY IS #TOGETHERPOSSIBLE
In ancient Greece, the Büyük Menderes River was named Meandros. Today, in many languages, the word meander is used to describe a river’s winding and curving course. The word meander originates from the Büyük Menderes River, formerly known as Meandros.
With its distinctive water, soil, climate structure and vibrant wildlife, the Büyük Menderes Basin has been home to many civilizations throughout the ages. So many ancient communities have lived in the basin that the famous historian Herodotus called the Büyük Menderes Basin the 'Valley of Civilizations'. Around 700 BC, Lydians minted the first coin in history, which is known to have borne the image of the luminous waters of the Menderes.
With its distinctive water, soil, climate structure and vibrant wildlife, the Büyük Menderes Basin has been home to many civilizations throughout the ages. So many ancient communities have lived in the basin that the famous historian Herodotus called the Büyük Menderes Basin the 'Valley of Civilizations'. Around 700 BC, Lydians minted the first coin in history, which is known to have borne the image of the luminous waters of the Menderes.
ACCORDING TO THALES, WHO LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF PHILOSOPHY AND FOUNDED THE MILETUS SCHOOL IN THE BÜYÜK MENDERES BASIN IN THE 6TH CENTURY B.C., WATER IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE FOR ALL BEINGS.
THALES BELIEVED THAT WATER WAS THE PERMANENT
ENTITY FROM WHICH ALL OTHER ENTITIES ORIGINATED AND
TO WHICH THEY RETURNED. IN OTHER WORDS, WATER WAS
THE SOURCE OF LIFE FOR ALL LIVING THINGS AND
THE SHAPER OF ALL NON-LIVING THINGS.
ENTITY FROM WHICH ALL OTHER ENTITIES ORIGINATED AND
TO WHICH THEY RETURNED. IN OTHER WORDS, WATER WAS
THE SOURCE OF LIFE FOR ALL LIVING THINGS AND
THE SHAPER OF ALL NON-LIVING THINGS.
The Büyük Menderes River has always determined the fate of the basin. It has created the most fertile agricultural lands of our country with the alluvium it has carried throughout the ages. All this natural wealth ensured that the Basin was part of the global economy very early on. While the Industrial Revolution that began in Britain reshaped the world economy, the İzmir-Aydın Railway was completed in 1866, and the Büyük Menderes River was connected to the nearest trading port. Thus, the basin was opened to the world with its tobacco, cotton, figs, grapes, olives, licorice, wool, mohair and weaving. This growth continued in the early years of the Turkish Republic.
The basin was one of the places where the first steps of industrialization based on agricultural production were taken in the 1930s. Nazilli, with climate and soil conditions suitable for growing cotton, was selected as the location to build a printed cotton fabric factory. In the same period, the traditional sectors of the basin, such as leatherwork in Uşak and weaving in Denizli, started to develop. Today, the Büyük Menderes Basin is one of the main regions of the Turkish economy.
The basin was one of the places where the first steps of industrialization based on agricultural production were taken in the 1930s. Nazilli, with climate and soil conditions suitable for growing cotton, was selected as the location to build a printed cotton fabric factory. In the same period, the traditional sectors of the basin, such as leatherwork in Uşak and weaving in Denizli, started to develop. Today, the Büyük Menderes Basin is one of the main regions of the Turkish economy.