Last updated: May 2025
The Çukurova University Botanical Garden was initiated in 1972 by the Department for Landscape Architecture to protect and conserve the rich native and non-native biodiversity of the region for future generations (Ref. 5,9). Its establishment responds to the lack of Botanical Gardens in Türkiye despite the country's great diversity. The Garden also wants to offer protection for increasingly threatened species in the face of rapid and uncontrolled urbanization (Ref. 5,9). Being located close to two Deltas and an important agricultural region, the collection also aims to include a great number of wetland and agricultural species, drawing public attention to the importance of these ecosystems (Ref. 6). As such, the University invites every school in Adana to visit and participate in its ongoing educational activities and primary school children are offered hands-on gardening programmes (Ref. 1,2). Furthermore, visitors can immerse themselves and learn about various vegetation zones, including endemic maquis, where stairs, walking paths and information boards have been installed (Ref. 4). The University maintains research activities in the Botanical Garden and in on site laboratories, which regularly host interns (Ref. 4). To ensure the stready supply of plant material for landscaping and education, nurseries have been set up and in 2020 a 250 m² medicinal and aromatic plant greenhouse was added where students of the Faculty of Agriculture are trained and endemic species grown (Ref. 9,10).
Medical Aromatic Plant Growing Greenhouse
https://www.resifsera.com/en/projects/medical-aromatic-plant-cultivation-greenhouse-adana
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Coastal wetland, mangroves and salt marshes
- Parks and urban forests
- Botanical gardens
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Economic development: agriculture
- Tourism support
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable production
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Rapid urbanization
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Disconnection from nature
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks), Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems), Protection of natural ecosystems, Protecton and enhancement of wetlands (other types than peatlands and mangroves, e.g. seagrass), Expansion of protected areas, Habitat conservation, Creating nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, or biodiversity hotspots to conserve unique ecosystems, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs, Scientific research of biodiversity or ecosystems
Project objectives
Goal 1: Increase human-nature interactions (Ref. 5)
Goal 2: Steward and protect biological resources and habitats (Ref. 5&6):
Goal 2.1.: Create a collection of wild ancestral forms of today's cultivated plants, whose homeland is Anatolia and Mesompotamia (Ref. 5)
Goal 2.2.: Create a rich collection of tropical and sub-tropical plant species (Ref. 6)
Goal 2.3.: Creating a rich wetland plant collection given the nearby areas such as Göksu Delta and Çukurova Delta (Ref. 6)
Goal 2.4.: Create a rich collection of economic plants due to the national importance of the region for agriculture (Ref. 6)
Goal 2.5.: To protect and provide a habitat for animals, which are rapidly becoming extinct and whose habitats are threatend by irregular urbanization, hunting and pesticides (Ref. 6)
Goal 2.5.: Intergenerational justice (provision of these resources/ knowlegde for future generations) (Ref. 5)
Goal 3: Disseminate and create knowledge (Ref. 5,6)
Goal 4: Raise public awareness (Ref. 6)
Goal 4.1.: To introduce the importance and functions of wetlands to the public (Ref. 6)
Implementation activities
Goal 1,3: To improve accessibility into the vegetation for visitors, stairs and walking paths were created using 350-meter-long wooden train rail sleepers. Also, educational material is provided along the path, which informs about native and non-native species and vegetation types. Visitors have the opportunity to learn how to calculate the age of trees since trunk sections of different tree species in the area are installed. (Ref. 4)
Goal 2: The formation of the botanical garden started in 1973-1978 when the university started corresponding with foreign countries and collecting a variety of plant seeds (native/non-native) which were successfully planted. (Ref. 9)
In 1994, an advisory committee was formed to develop new strategies and policies. Also, a planning and project team from the Department of Landscape Architecture was organized, and a Master Plan was drawn in accordance with natural, edaphic and climatic conditions.
From there, the collection grew, and now there are 6 different collections of terrestrial vegetation types (Native Maquis, Oak, Coniferous Plants, Rock Garden, Plam Garden, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants). Many species are cultivated in on site greenhouses and nurseries. (Ref. 9)
Under the maintenance of the University, the entire area is protected.
Goal 3,4: Different programmes with primary and secondary schools in Adana have been initiated where children plant their own vegetables or participate in educational events in the Botanical Garden. (Ref.1)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Create new habitats
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
- Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
- Means for conservation governance
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
- Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
Main beneficiaries
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Researchers/University
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Researchers/university
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
"Early initiatives for a botanical garden at Çukurova University took place in 1972. Some activities, such as corresponding with some foreign countries, were carried out by the Department of Landscape Architecture between 1973-1978." (Ref. 9)
"At the same time a planning and project team with 6 members mainly from the Department of Landscape Architecture was organized and a Master Plan was drawn in accordance with natural, edaphic and climatic conditions and the needs and interest of the public." (Ref. 9)
National Government listed in source 7
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
No
Type of enablers
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Unknown
Type of funding
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of labour
- Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Other
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Water management and blue areas
- Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Expected enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increase in protected green space areas
- Achieved increase in protected green space areas
- Increased number of protection areas
- Achieved increased number of protection areas
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Achieved increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Achieved reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Achieved increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Increased protection of threatened species
- Achieved increased protection of threatened species
Economic impacts
- Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Achieved increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Achieved improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Protection of natural heritage
- Achieved protection of natural heritage
- Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
- Achieved increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
- Expected increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Achieved increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Ecosystems and biodiversity, Introducing of non-native species
References
1.
Ç. Ü. Ali Nihat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi (n.d.). Çocuk Bahçıvanlar. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Ç. Ü. Ali Nihat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi (n.d.). Doğa Eğitimi. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Ç. Ü. Ali Nihat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi (n.d.). Staj Eğitimi. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Ç. Ü. Ali Nihat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi (n.d.). Doğal Akdeniz Vadisi. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Ç. Ü. Ali Nihat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi (n.d.). Misyonumuz. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Ç. Ü. Ali Nihat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi (n.d.). Vizyonumuz. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
7.
BGCI (n.d.). Çukurova University Ali Nihat Gökyi?it Botanical Garden. Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Çakan, H., Kavak, S., Karata, Y. (2017). Management and modelling of native maquis vegetation as wildlife sanctuary in Çukurova University Ali Nihat Gökyigit Botanical Garden (Çuangbg) (Adana/Turkey). Geneve: BGCI, p. 10 Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Gultekin. E. (n.d.). The Çukurova University Botanical Garden, Turkey . ecology.gen.tr, Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Çözümleri, S. (n.d.). Medical Aromatic Plant Cultivation Greenhouse- Adana. Accessed on September 16, 2024, [Source link];
Walking Paths lined with Plots
https://botanik.cu.edu.tr/cu/photo-galery
Educational Trail through native maquis vegetation
https://botanik.cu.edu.tr/cu/photo-galery
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.