December 8, 2014
Turkey

Residents outraged at tree felling for wind power plant in Urla

Today's Zaman | December 08, 2014 | www.todayszaman.com

Plans for the felling of 1,300 trees to make way for the construction of a wind power plant have caused outrage among residents in the village of Ovacık in İzmir province.

Renewable Energy Systems (RES), the company that will be building the plant, has already sent turbine parts by truck to the region and made the decision to cut down over 300 pine trees along forest roads. The company plans to cut down at least 1,300 trees in total for turbines, which will be as large six meters wide.

Large trucks need to transport turbine parts for the construction of the wind power plant, necessitating the cutting down of even more trees so that the trucks can drive through forested areas.

Local residents have filed a complaint with the Council of State demanding an injunction against the felling of the trees. Veysel Erköse, the muhtar (headman) of Ovacık village, spoke with the Turkish press, expressing his determination to fight until the end for the trees not to be cut down.

“For a long time, we have expended great effort to protect the trees. But now people have come and are going to cut down and discard beautiful trees for money. They are going to cut down these trees and build a road in the middle of the forest. Do they not have a conscience? Are there no empty fields for the RES turbines to be built on instead? We are going to follow this case until the end; we do not want our trees to be cut down.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/12/08/residents-outraged-at-tree-felling-for-wind-power-plant-in-urla/